'Kasi ang pagbunot sa publiko ng baril na 'yon, pagkasa sa harap ng isang tao na nakikita ng maraming tao na nasa Quezon Avenue ay alarm and scandal,' QCPD chief Torre says
MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) confirmed that a criminal complaint was filed against the former cop involved in the road rage captured in a video and went viral over the weekend.
QCPD director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III confirmed to reporters on Tuesday, August 29, that they had filed an alarm and scandal complaint against dismissed cop Wilfredo Gonzales on Tuesday morning.
“Wala pa namang opisina kahapon (kaya) kanina 9:50 am i-finile namin ang kasong alarm and scandal) (Offices were closed yesterday so we filed the complaint for alarm and scandal earlier at 9:50 am),” Torre said, explaining that they investigated the case since Sunday until Monday.
Over the weekend, Gonzales’ video emerging from a red sedan and physically assaulting an unarmed cyclist went viral on the internet. The former cop threatened the cyclist by drawing and cocking his firearm.
Sixty-three-year-old Gonzales is a former cop who served in the police force for more than 20 years. He worked under the QCPD. Gonzales previously faced an administrative case for grave misconduct in 2006, which later led to his dismissal from service.
Gonzales was only identified during a press conference on Sunday, August 27, organized by the QCPD, where he blamed social media for depicting him as a bad person. The former cop said he and the victim settled their concerns, but online reports claimed the cyclist was pressured.
“Kasi ang pagbunot sa publiko ng baril na ‘yon, pagkasa sa harap ng isang tao na nakikita ng maraming tao na nasa Quezon Avenue ay alarm and scandal (Because drawing a gun in public, cocking it in front of a person seen by many people along Quezon Avenue constitute alarm and scandal),” the QCPD chief explained, adding that Gonzales committed a public crime, so the police can file a complaint.
Under Republic Act No. 11926, alarm and scandal applicable on firearms is committed by “any person who within any town or public place, shall discharge any rocket, firecracker, or other explosives calculated to cause alarm or danger.” If proven guilty, Gonzales could face light penalty of arresto menor (one to 30 days imprisonment) or a fine not exceeding P40,000.
In a statement released on Monday night, Department of the Interior and Local Government chief Benhur Abalos, who oversees the Philippine National Police (PNP), said criminal cases should be filed against Gonzales.
“For the sake of a peaceful and orderly society, we cannot allow a culture of impunity. We cannot allow bullies to just go around intimidating people with deadly weapons. There must be consequences here,” the interior chief said.
Aside from the outrage on Gonzales, there was also a public clamor about the QCPD’s move to hold a press conference with the suspect.
Torre told reporters on Tuesday at around 2 pm on Sunday, he received text messages from journalists asking to interview him about the actions taken on the Gonzales case. The QCPD chief said at the time the reporters were at the Camp Karingal, the QCPD’s headquarters, Gonzales also happened to be surrendering.
“So alas-singko, nagpa-call ako ng press conference because ang clamor ng mga media na nando’n ay ihabol nila sa six o’clock weekend news. Ako naman ay pinagbigyan ko ang media na makausap ang suspek dahil ‘yon ang gusto niyong malaman,” Torre said. “So naisip ko, if I had to do it again, I’ll do it another way. Pero ‘yon na, I stand by it and made the decision to present that guy to the media because of the clamor.”
(So at 5 pm, I called for a press conference because of the media’s clamor that they wanted to include the story in their six o’clock weekend news. I just gave in to the media’s request to talk to the suspect, because that’s what they wanted. So I thought, if I had to do it again, I’ll do it another way. But that’s it, I stand by it and made the decision to present that guy to the media because of the clamor.)
Organizing a press conference with a suspect was not part of the PNP’s direct mandate to ensure public safety and prevent crimes. The press conference with Gonzales was also a reminiscent of the time acting PNP chief Vicente Danao Jr. held a press briefing with Jose Antonio Sanvicente, the SUV driver, who ran over a security guard in Mandaluyong in 2022. – Rappler.com