Image: Instagram/@bela, screengrab from Twitter/@CMarquezINQ
Actress Bela Padilla decried the incident involving a police officer enforcing the enhanced community quarantine rules by hitting and berating a citizen in Quiapo, Manila.
Padilla took to Twitter yesterday, March 27, to share the video of the incident and to seemingly take a swipe at the Department of Justice’s call for “compassion” regarding Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s Makati Medical Center debacle.
“Is this our new normal? Nasan po yung ‘compassion’?” she said.
WATCH: An angry policeman allegedly from MPD cursed at citizens in a town in Quiapo, Manila. 🎥Contributed video @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/nelZpXrIKu
— Consuelo Marquez (@CMarquezINQ) March 26, 2020
The cop, who threatened citizens that they would be shot if they went out of their homes, can be seen hitting a man who was walking by several times with a stick. Residents reportedly refused to return to their homes.
After the man showed his barangay quarantine pass, the visibly angry cop shouted: “Bakit? Oras ba ngayon? ‘Yan ba dapat ‘yan mong gamitin ngayon? P***** i** niyo matigas ulo mo ah. Umuwi ka! Lalabas kayo akala niyo passes ‘yang quarantine pass?”
(So what? Is now the right time? Are you supposed to use that right now? You sons of b****** are stubborn. Go home! Do you think that a quarantine pass is a pass?)
The Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday said it was investigating the incident. It said in a statement that it would not condone “any wrongdoing of any of our policemen while strictly implementing the enhanced community quarantine.”
Under the Luzon-wide quarantine, holders of the said passes are only allowed to go out for essential errands, such as buying food and medicine. /ra
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