Roxas aide denies verbal abuse claim

MANILA, Philippines - A security escort of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II denied yesterday allegations that he verbally abused an elderly man at a mall.

Police Officer 2 Brian Geollegue, who has been removed from Roxas’ security contingent, nevertheless apologized for putting the Philippine National Police in a bad light. Geollegue belonged to the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG).

“That’s not true,” he said of allegations made on Facebook by a certain Baste Santos, who posted on Facebook a photo of a police officer – later identified as Geollegue – who reportedly humiliated his father when he bumped into the police officer.

Santos claimed his father felt humiliated when the police officer shouted at him, “Huwag kang tatanga-tanga (Don’t be stupid)!”

Geollegue said he went to a mall in Pasig City last week to go to a restroom and take shelter from the rain when the elderly man bumped his shoulder.

“He was a big man. He bumped into my shoulder because he was looking behind him. The man was apologetic,” Geollegue said, adding that he would not make a scene because he was in uniform.

“I am asking for forgiveness. Sorry. Do not drag the police force into this,” he added.

Uploader faces cyberbullying charge

HPG spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez urged the person who uploaded and posted the claim against Geollegue to file a formal complaint within 10 days so the HPG can act on the case.

“Without the formal complaint, the uploading of the story against Geollegue could be considered cyberbullying,” she said.

Geollegue said if the man or his family felt aggrieved, they should have reported the incident to the nearest police station, not to a social networking site, because “it would not set a good precedent.”

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, chief of the PNP Public Information Office, said Geollegue will be assigned to the Police Holding and Administrative Unit pending the investigation of the allegations against him.

Sindac called on Santos to formalize his complaint against the police officer to allow the PNP to act on him administratively.