CCPO to probe Talamban cops for ‘police brutality’ caught on video

Garma

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office are conducting an investigation on the alleged police brutality allegedly done by Talamban police officers against a drug suspect during an anti-illegal drug raid in Barangay Carreta on April 18 in Cebu City.

The beating of the drug suspect, Eddie Basillote and two others, by six men during the drug raid on April 18 was caught on the security camera of Basillote’s house.

The video footage of the alleged beating was posted on Facebook and went viral.

Police Colonel Royina Garma, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief, said during a press briefing on April 26 that she had directed Talamban Police Chief, Police Major Elizandro Quijano, to submit the written explanation about the incident at 5 p.m. today (April 26).

Garma said that the explanation would be expected to include the circumstances of the operation of the Talamban Police, which reached Barangay Carreta.

“I directed the IDMB (Investigation and Detection Management Branch) to check kung may mga lapses sa police operational procedure.

Garma said that police substations had been allowed to conduct operations outside of their area of responsibility, with the coordination of the concerned police station commander.

“It’s still the area of Cebu City. I give clearance to all police station commanders that they can conduct drug bust operations outside their area of responsibility,” said Garma.

The minor sister of Basillote, who witnessed the attack on her brother, said that she would want the police officers responsible for beating her brother to be sanctioned.

A minor niece of Basillote was also present during the attack.

Basillote’s sister said that they had already reached out to the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas for help.

Read more: CHR-7: CCTV footage of police mauling suspect shows abuse of human rights

”Okay ra mag ila dakpon, pero dili ing ato nga murag gi baboy,” she said.

(It’s okay if they would arrest my brother, but not in the way that they had done it — where they treated him like an animal.)  

“Wala man gani to nanglaban ang ako uncle… Bisan nakuyapan na to diri, gi padayon gihapon nila og kulata” added Basillote’s niece, who is also a minor.

(My uncle did not even fight back… Even if he already fainted, the police still continued to beat him.)

Basillote’s sister and niece, who are both minors, were present during the attack on Basillote.

They also said quesioned why the two others, whom police allegedly beat up, were not arrested.

“Kung buy bust to, ila unta to gi dala ang duha, ngano si Eddie raman, nya wala pod silau gipakita nga warrant,” said the niece.

(If it was really a buy bust operation, they should have arrested the other two as well. Why did they only focus on Eddie. They didn’t even show a warrant.)

Basillote was detained at the Talamban Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges.

According to a spot report of the Talamban Police Station, a sachet of suspected shabu was confiscated from Basillote during the operation.

The police report also said that Basillote was not listed on their watchlist./dbs