EDITORIAL - Abuse of authority

This is how you lose public trust. A motorist was driving along Commonwealth Avenue on the night of March 17 when a car ahead of him reversed gears. The motorist tried to avoid the car but couldn’t drive backward because another vehicle was behind his car. When the car ahead backed into the motorist’s vehicle, both drivers got out and an argument erupted.

The driver of the first car reportedly grabbed the motorist’s shirt, prompting the latter to run to the Fairview police station for help, with the driver of the other car running after him. Instead of assisting, about six policemen at the station did nothing as the driver of the first car reportedly cursed and beat up the motorist. The cops then carried the motorist to the police station, where the driver continued to confront him, after which the motorist was tossed into a detention cell.

Fortunately for the motorist, the incident was recorded on closed-circuit television, and the CCTV video was not destroyed. After the motorist bared his ordeal in a television interview, his tormentor was identified as Chief Inspector Melvin Madrona, who happened to be the commander of the Fairview police station.

Thanks to the video recording, there was sufficient evidence to warrant Madrona’s relief of his command. Madrona faces administrative and criminal charges for physical injury, grave threats, grave coercion and arbitrary detention, which were filed by the Counter-Intelligence Task Force of the Philippine National Police. Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District director, said Madrona had been sacked from his post. Eleazar had ordered the cops to preserve the CCTV footage.

Madrona’s relief is not enough; his subordinates in the police station, who were also caught on video refusing to help the motorist, should face related charges as accomplices. The cops also failed to record the incident in the station blotter.

President Duterte often says that his brutal campaign against illegal drugs and criminality is meant to protect law-abiding citizens. He has vowed to deal harshly with abusive cops and other public servants such as barangay officials who break the law. The behavior of Madrona and his men toward the motorist should have no place in the President’s campaign.