Napolcom urged to probe ‘patch eating’ incident

A group of non-commissioned police officers has called on the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to conduct an impartial investigation into the alleged "inhuman disciplinary" actions of a traffic police chief.

The 3,000-strong Manila’s Finest Brotherhood Association Inc. (MFBAI) condemned Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) chief Senior Superintendent Philmore Balmaceda over his act of stuffing a cloth patch in the mouth of a Pasay City officer in full view of other traffic policemen.

According to MFBAI president SPO2 Antonio Emmanuel, the incident happened last Aug. 15 during a flag ceremony at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) compound in Makati City.

Balmaceda allegedly called on stage SPO1 Alberto Ignacio of the Pasay City Traffic Investigation Unit after noticing the latter was wearing an old MMDA-TEG patch, Emmanuel said.

Balmaceda, he said, removed Ignacio’s cloth patch with a cutter and ordered the officer to open his mouth. He then stuffed the cloth patch into Ignacio’s mouth.

The traffic police chief then warned other traffic officers to strictly comply with his order of wearing the new MMDA-TEG patch which, according to him, has been approved by the Philippine National Police, Emmanuel said.

"The MFBAI condemns this act of humiliation. Balmaceda’s actuation is a conduct unbecoming a police officer. There was an abuse of authority on his kind of disciplinary measure," Emmanuel said, at the same time, calling on Napolcom officials to investigate the incident.