MANILA, Philippines — A police officer is under investigation after he was caught on a viral video threatening two people with his handgun during a traffic altercation in Taguig City on Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad, National Capital Region Police Office director, has ordered the probe of S/Sgt. Junnel Buenaflor, a member of the NCRPO’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal K9 unit.
Excerpts of the video uploaded on the Facebook Page of Radyo 5 showed the policeman pointing his handgun at two civilians.
Probers said the incident happened in front of a supermarket in Barangay Bagumbayan at around 12:30 p.m.
While the investigation showed the civilians –Allan Jay Henson, 22, and Iranian Ahmadreza Hadiyan, 46 – were the ones who started the commotion when one of them kicked Buenaflor’s motorcycle, Natividad said it is not a sufficient reason for the police officer to draw his firearm.
“We shall investigate this extensively and should we find any violation of laws and policies, I shall personally ensure that the person liable will face the consequences of his actions,” Natividad said in a statement.
Buenaflor could be heard in the video threatening Henson and Hadiyan.
“Dapa! Papatayin ko kayo, dapa!” Buenaflor shouted, ordering them to lie face down or he would kill them.
Buenaflor kicked one of the civilians after they refused to follow his instruction.
The tense situation was only diffused when other policemen arrived at the scene.
Probers said the two civilians got irked when Buenaflor made a left turn signal.
No charges were filed as both parties settled their differences amicably at a police substation.
Natividad said they will never condone or tolerate any form of unlawful conduct of their personnel.