PNP debunks ex-cop's claim they did not get notice to relocate
The Philippine National Police ( PNP) on Tuesday said the family of retired Police Executive Master Sergeant Arnel delos Santos received notices to relocate since January.
In a press briefing, Southern Police District chief Brig. General Emmanuel Peralta said they submitted another written notice to the family of the retired cop last July 20.
“We sent a letter to them last January and they appealed to stay longer in the (Regional Direct Support Unit) RDSU office… We also sent letters to the family asking for a dialogue for us to have a win-win solution on the problem… so this contradicts their statement that we are not talking to them and we did not send them notices,” Peralta said.
In a letter dated last February 5, 2020 and shared to reporters, it showed that the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) denied the request of Delos Santos for an extension and gave him 10 days to leave the premises.
“This pertains to the response of our Regional Director MGen Debold Sinas regarding your personal letter request to extend your stay at the Old RDSU Compound Lawton Ave. Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, which has been disapproved and signed on January 30, 2020,” it said.
“In view of foregoing, you are hereby given a non-extendible period of ten days from the receipt hereof to voluntarily vacate the premises you are occupying,” it added.
Peralta said they also went to the compound before the incident but they never saw the former cop.
He added that the family’s electricity is illegally connected to the RSDU office.
“We are just asking for an inspection report from Meralco so that we can take proper action on the (alleged) jumper connection of the Delos Santos family,'' added Peralta.
The old RDSU building, according to National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Debold Sinas is still part of a government property.
“They occupied our building… They don’t build a house and then we ask them to leave. That’s not the case. They live in the building of PNP so how can they say that they are authorized to occupy the space? What we are saying is the thing you are claiming, it’s up to them, if they want to file to the court, it’s up to them,” Sinas explained in the same briefing.
“What we want is for them to leave our PNP building because they are deflecting the story that they are living in the PNP building… they are not the one who built the building,” he added.
During the incident last Saturday, the family of Delos Santos showed documents to the team of Sinas proving they are allowed to live inside the compound.
In a video that went viral on social media, Sinas with some police officers were seen allegedly harassing the Delos Santos family.
One of the cops even snatched the phone of the one documenting the confrontation.
“We need the (building) for our police officers,” Sinas said in the same briefing.
Earlier, Sinas said the building will be used as a quarantine facility as part of PNP’s effort to help their police officers who are frontliners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sinas said they are open to an investigation and ready to answer questions.
In a TV interview, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac reiterated Delos Santos and his family were allowed to live in the compound only until his retirement as the logistics officer for the PNP.
“Now this Sergeant Delos Santos who used to work with logistics was allowed to occupy the old motor pool for the billeting area for his family provided that when he retires, of course, he has to vacate that because he does not own the place,” Banac said.
“They have been presenting documents, photocopies of the certificate of occupancy of the subdivision plan, but you know this whole area of Fort Bonifacio used to be part of Armed Forces reservation so the PNP has a standing memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Navy for the use of such area,” he added.
Banac said the property will remain under the government until a court order will sayi otherwise.
“That is a fact that PNP constructed such a facility. It means to say that, from the very beginning, it was PNP who administered such space,” he said.
PNP chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa ordered an investigation into the alleged harassment of police officers to Delos Santos’ family. Ella Dionisio/DMS
