Tempers flare at fire scene

CEBU, Philippines – A policeman detailed with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as a chemist reportedly threatened to shoot a city councilor and also allegedly came into blows with another policeman when he was refused entry into the cordoned area during Tuesday’s fire along R. R. Landon St.

The PDEA agent was reportedly rushing to their regional headquarters, which was right beside the fire scene when he was stopped at the second of three layers of cordon by Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council.

Carillo said that the area was only for emergency vehicles and the van driven by the agent, later identified as Adonis Abueva, should not be allowed there.

Carillo said that when he stopped the L-300 van driven by Abueva, the man arrogantly shouted at him, “polis ko, kinsa man ka? Pusilon tika ron,” (I am a policeman, who are you? I will shoot you.)

Since he wasn’t allowed to go through, Abueva reportedly made a sudden U-turn and sideswiped a policeman detailed in the area. The policeman was reportedly thrown back towards a parked firetruck.

Carillo said that as a procedure to keep kibitzers at bay, they implement a cordon system during fires to screen those who are allowed inside so as not to hamper the emergency operations.

PDEA-7 spokesperson Jessie Tabanao, said that the policeman, who was thrown back when Abueva made a sudden U-turn approached the vehicle and hit the PDEA agent on the back.

Carillo said that he tried to pacify the two men, but saw that the policemen were outnumbered by the PDEA personnel prompting him to call the city’s SWAT for assistance.

Carillo said that when the men were pacified, he asked for Abueva’s identification card and wanted to have him arrested.

The councilor said that officials of the PDEA reportedly asked that Abueva be kept in their custody instead.

Abueva reportedly later apologized to Carillo for his failure to identify the city councilor.

“I told him, you should respect the law, you are a law enforcer,” Carillo said.

He however said that he may not file charges as he believes that Abueva has learned his lesson and would rather focus his energy on helping the fire victims.

Tabanao, however denied that there was fistfight.

“Wala ju’y sukmagay na nahitabo. Naa lang gamay altercation. Syempre pud, medyo init na ang mga ulo tungod sa sunog,” Tabanao said.

Tabanao said that Abueva was instructed by their officer-in-charge Levi Valmoria to go to their office to get the important documents as well as the 14 detainees locked up in their stockade.

Tabanao said that the families of the detainees had been pressuring them to move them to a safer place.

Abueva was later able to get inside PDEA-7 office as Supt. Rex Derilo chief of the Regional Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Unit (RSAGSU-7), vouched for his identity.—/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)