For “Hitting” cop Raps vs. gov's son, NBI agent

CEBU, Philippines -  For embarrassing a person in uniform, charges will be filed against the son of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation who was reportedly filmed hitting a policeman deployed at the Provincial Capitol recently.

Fuente Police Station chief Chuck Barandog said they will file a case for direct assault or violation of Article 148 of the Revised Penal Code against Paolo Garcia and NBI-7 agent Joey Cal.

Barandog said they tried to file the case at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday morning but they failed to beat the deadline. On Saturdays, the court is only open in the morning.

Police Regional Office-7 headed by its director Marcelo Garbo Jr. announced the filing of charges via text message sent to reporters yesterday.  Barandog was tasked to handle the case.

Cal was reportedly filmed on television slapping the back of the head of Insp. Alvin Enguito of the Regional Public Safety Battalion who was one of those deployed to the Capitol to maintain the peace and order.

Apart from the footage, witnesses also pointed to the NBI agent as the one who hit Enguito, Barandog added.

Barandog said Paolo Garcia is included in the case as he was in the same group as Cal when Enguito was hit in the head last Wednesday night at the vicinity of the Capitol.

Enguito, who was then leading a team of police deployed at the Capitol, was instructing his men when Cal slapped him behind the head.

“Ikaw ba, sige lang ka mando sa imong tropa na magpabilin diri. Ikaw pabilin diri!” Cal allegedly told him, shortly before he hit his head.

Barandog said they will file the case tomorrow.

He said they have nothing to do with the incident but they are handling the case since the Capitol Area is part of his jurisdiction.

Barandog further said that it was  Enguito's decision to file the case with the advice of his superior, as a person in uniform was being embarrassed.

Garbo has commended Enguito for not fighting back at Cal.

The PRO-7 director has ordered his men securing the Capitol to observe maximum tolerance.  —BRP (FREEMAN)