Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that he will not back down despite harassment by the police./ Photo from Osmeña’s FB page
CEBU CITY, Philippines —Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is not taking the alleged harassment by the police sitting down.
Osmeña posted on his Facebook page at around 1 p.m. today, April 29, 2019, that his lawyers are now “collating all the videos and pictures of what happened last night.”
“Expect charges to be filed tomorrow (Tuesday).”
Osmeña was referring to a brief confrontation with personnel from the city’s Highway Patrol group in a police checkpoint in Barangay Kasambagan, here on Sunday night, April 28.
Read More: Garma threatens charge vs Tomas, Mary Ann for disregard of a police checkpoint
“Col. Garma, why did your goons force my staff out of their vehicle during your “checkpoint” last night? Isn’t it illegal to force someone out of a private vehicle? Ngano nag ukay sila sa sakyanan nga walay search warrant? Why did your police brandish an UNHOLSTERED pistol in front of Mary Ann delos Santos?”
“Harass my people all you want. We will not back down. You can intimidate the people you are supposed to protect all you want. But you cannot intimidate me,” the mayor said on his FB page.
As of 2 p.m. today, Osmeña’s post generated 698 engagement, 145 comments and 130 shares. /bjo