Cop accused of attacking 2 over traffic row

MANILA, Philippines - A policeman was charged yesterday with attacking a 16-year-old boy and his friend following a traffic altercation in Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

Kevin Mark Dumana, 16, and 20-year-old Robert Benedict Ilagan, filed a complaint against Police Officer 1 Nestor Unito with the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit yesterday morning. Unito is assigned to the QCPD Station 2.

The two complainants claimed the incident happened before dawn yesterday in Barangay Katipunan where the allegedly drunk Unito, who was off duty at that time, punched, slapped and threatened them.

PO2 George Caculba said the incident stemmed from a traffic altercation Ilagan encountered with Unito’s friends.

According to the complaint, Ilagan and Dumana went to a birthday party. Ilagan and his girlfriend then went to fetch a friend on his motorcycle. On their way back to the party, Ilagan passed by two men on a motorcycle, whom he later found were Unito’s friends. The two motorcyclists tried to pass each other until Unito’s friend started to shout invectives at Ilagan.

Unito was allegedly drinking liquor at a store when his friends arrived and told him what happened. When he saw Dumana at the store, Unito confronted him and told him to bring Ilagan. Dumana claimed Unito slapped him and pulled his hair.

Ilagan arrived with his girlfriend but was confronted by Unito. He was allegedly punched in the back and slapped. The policeman allegedly took away Ilagan’s wallet after asking for his license.

A policeman patrolling in the area tried to intervene. Ilagan said he managed to get his wallet back but Unito allegedly threatened him with a gun, telling him to “avoid the bullet” if they saw each other again the next day.