Congressman Garin stripped of police escorts after mauling Guimbal cop

The Philippine National Police in the Western Visayas has stripped Iloilo Representative Richard Garin's of his police security detail after the congressman and his father allegedly mauled a police officer in Guimbal on Wednesday.

PNP-Western Visayas regional director Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said he had relieved Guimbal police chief Senior Inspector Antonio Monreal "for his non-action and his failure to arrest the Garins."

"We also cancelled the detail of two PNP security personnel of Congressman Garin," Bulalacao added in a statement.

The congressman and his father, Guimbal Mayor Oscar Garin Sr., allegedly disarmed, handcuffed, slapped, and spat on PO3 Federico Macaya around 3:20 a.m. on Wednesday.

Richard Garin said he was upset that Macaya asked a victim to withdraw his complaint against a suspect.

The congressman said the suspect had hurt the victim during a town event on December 22. The suspect reportedly had a pending murder case.

Richard Garin has apologized for the incident and said that his action was directed not at the PNP but a "mere display of extreme frustration" over a single police officer's disservice to the people.

"I accepted his apology but I could not bear how he degraded and humiliated our uniform and our profession as police officers," Bulalacao said.

"I have nothing personal against the Garins but I have grounds and responsibility to support my personnel and to protect and uplift the image of the police organization," he added.

The PNP also said it will also request from the Department of Interior and Local Government the cancellation of Mayor Garin's authority over the policemen of Guimbal Municipal Police Station. —NB, GMA News