Senate panel to probe possible police abuses in Dasma Village incident

The Senate committee on justice and human rights will look into possible police abuses committed in the incident in Dasmariñas Village last November involving Senator Nancy Binay and her brother, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.

In a statement Wednesday, Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, justice committee chairman, said Congress should find out "the extent of the pernicious practice among law enforcement agencies" as shown during the Dasmariñas Village incident.

"This unfortunate incident highlights the need for Congress as well as the leadership of our law enforcement agencies to review the standard operating procedure on effecting arrests, particularly warrantless arrests, by law enforcement agents," Pimentel said.

Pimentel, who ran under the administration slate during the May 2013 elections, said Makati City police officers committed "a serious breach of the rights of the security guards" when the village guards were invited for questioning after incident.

He said his committee will particularly check if the Makati police officers committed unlawful arrest, arbitrary detention, and grave coercion.

In a text message, Senator Binay questioned the timing of Pimentel's probe, which she said will come months after the incident in Dasmariñas Village.

"Sana lang 'yung investigation will really focus doon sa alleged practice ng police of inviting people for questioning, and hopefully, he [Pimentel] would not zero in on the Dasma incident," Senator Binay said.

A Philippine Daily Inquirer report published last December said Mayor Binay ordered the arrest of three security guards of the posh village last November 30 after they supposedly prevented his convoy from passing through a restricted gate.

The report quoted Makati City Police chief Supt. Manuel Lucban as saying that the three security guards were brought to the police headquarters "to verify if the permits of their firearms were in order."

Joey Salgado, Mayor Binay's spokesperson, has earlier belied the report on the security guards' arrest, saying they "volunteered to go to the police."

The Dasmariñas Village association has since replaced the agency handling the village's security, but retained the guards who prevented Mayor Binay's convoy. — Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMA News