PAOCC: Casio may face criminal, admin raps over slapping incident

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston Casio may face criminal and administrative charges over his alleged mistreatment of a Filipino during a raid of the PAOCC in an establishment in Bagac, Bataan over the weekend.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz reiterated Casio has since been relieved from his duty following the incident.

“We removed sa kaniyang pwesto as spokesperson of PAOCC and is under preventive suspension while the investigation is ongoing,” Cruz told Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

“Kung magh-hearing pa ‘yun pwedeng magkaroon siya ng administrative case and even criminal case. Kung walang complainant, administrative case,” said Cruz.

(If there will be a hearing on a complaint related to the case, then he may face administrative case and even a criminal case. If there’s no complaints, then it would be an administrative case.)

On Tuesday, the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said Casio was removed from his post after a video of him allegedly slapping a POGO worker recently circulated on social media. The PAOCC also asked him to explain the incident in writing.

“'Your immediate response is crucial, as it will significantly influence the Office's consideration of any subsequent actions,'' a November 4 memorandum, signed by Cruz, reads.

Casio previously issued an apology for the incident, explaining that one of their staff and members of the media were cursed by some Filipino workers of the raided establishment. He told the individual that he will charge them with unjust vexation but the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group appealed to him not to file charges.

Casio then brought the individual to the clinic to talk to him and told him he had two choices: to be slapped or be filed with unjust vexation charges. He said he slapped the person three times but not that it was not “strong.”

“Pero at the end of the day, I still apologize. That is erroneous on my part. Dapat po tinuloy ko na lang ‘yung kaso,” said Casio.

(But at the end of the day, I still apologize. That is erroneous on my part. I should have just continued the case.)

200 foreigners to be deported

Meanwhile, Cruz said around 200 foreigners working in POGO and illegal mining operations may be deported by next week.

Some of them were arrested in POGO hubs in Pasay, Porac, Pampanga and Bamban, Tarlac. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News