5 days Ago
The police officer who was berated by an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) during a clearing operation is planning to file a complaint, the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) said on Wednesday. NAPOLCOM Commissioner Atty. Rafael Calinisan said he talked to Police Captain Erik Felipe who said he may file complaints against Special Operations Group - Strike Force head Gabriel Go for libel and violation of data privacy.
“Vinideohan mo pa 'yung tao nang hindi niya nalalaman. Wala rin namang consent niya. Clear violation of the Data Privacy Act.
Extremely libelous 'yung ginawa din niya,” Calinisan said in a report of GMA Integrated News’ Mark Salazar on Unang Balita. (You even filmed the person without his knowledge. He also didn't have his consent.
Clear violation of the Data Privacy Act. What he did was extremely libelous too.) “So I cannot fault Captain Felipe.
It's well within his right to file a case if he's aggrieved and actually I feel for him,” he added. For Calinisan, Go should have just issued a ticket to Felipe without berating him, filming the incident, and posting the video. “Kung nagkamali ang pulis, kasuhan, parusahan.
Ang problema ko diyan is 'yung pamamaraan. Puwede namang ticket-an mo na. Tapos na.
Nagso-sorry na 'yung tao. Balak niyang bayaran 'yung fine niya. Vi-video-han po, ipo-post mo.
Papahiyain mo para lang what, for the views,” he said. Go issued a ticket last week to Felipe for the motorcycles parked on the sidewalk in front of a police station in Quezon City. Felipe apologized to Go but he reportedly did not like the manner it was given.
Go uploaded the video which became viral. The video has already been removed from social media. Calinisan said he advised Go to apologize about the incident.
He said Go said he will think about it, and will go home first and draft a statement. In a Facebook post, Senator JV Ejercito called out Go’s supposed overbearing and disrespectful actions. The senator urged MMDA chairperson Romando Artes to discipline his officials.
“Who gave the license or authority to this Gabriel Go to act this way? Saan ba nanggaling ito at napakayabang ‘ata? Overbearing and disrespectful to a police officer at that!” Ejercito said. “Tinekitan naman na ang pulis. Tama 'yon, no one is above the law, pero para ipahiya pa? Ano ito, for the views? Dapat nag-vlogger ka na lang boi! MMDA Chairman Artes, please discipline your officials!” Ejercito added.
(A ticket has been issued to the police, that’s right, no one is above the law, but to embarrass him? Is this for the views? You should just be a vlogger, man! MMDA Chairman Artes, please discipline your officials!) GMA Integrated News has been trying to contact Go to get his statement. On Tuesday, the MMDA said a show cause order has been issued to Go. The MMDA said Go resigned from the agency in June 2023 and was rehired in November of the same year.
“At the time of his rehiring, no case had been filed against him. No formal or sworn complaint, nor any supporting documentation related to the matter, was submitted to the MMDA Committee on Decorum and Investigation,” the MMDA said. "Mr.
Gabriel Go is a good man and a dedicated MMDA enforcer. If he committed a mistake, we will accord him due process and penalize him as justified," it added. The MMDA also apologized for the incident.
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our constituents. It will be a learning experience for Mr. Go and the MMDA as a whole.
A properly apology should be made to Captain Erik Felipe for the harm it may have caused him and his family," the MMDA statement read. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News.
