Pimentel wants Senate probe of Binay row

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate should conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the procedure of “inviting” persons to the police station even without an arrest warrant, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said yesterday.

Pimentel called for a Senate probe following reports that Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. ordered the arrest of the three security guards of Dasmariñas Village for denying his convoy access to the restricted gate past the homeowners’ association’s 10 p.m. curfew on Nov. 30.

Pimentel, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said a person’s civil rights may be violated when he is taken to a police station on the pretext of an “invitation,” which he described as a euphemism for an illegal arrest.

Based on closed-circuit television footage of the security standoff, the responding Makati policemen appeared to have forcibly taken the security guards to the station, although the Makati police said the guards volunteered to go with them to the police headquarters, Pimentel said.

“This is already tantamount to an arrest and is a violation of civil liberties,” he said.

A warrantless arrest can only be done when the police officer is actually at the scene during the commission of the crime or when there is probable cause to make the arrest, Pimentel said.

Such an arrest can also be done when the person to be arrested is a fugitive, he added.

Binay’s camp, however, clarified that the security guards were not arrested, but voluntarily went with the police officers and stayed at the police precinct for an hour for verification of their license and gun permits.

Binay spokesman Joey Salgado blamed the security guards for failing to be courteous and provide security assistance to VIPs in the subdivision as part of the standard operating procedure.

Ram Antonio, president of the Right Eight Security, said his agency has apologized to Binay.

Tough times

Sen. Nancy Binay said yesterday she feels that her family is going through tough times after defending the family name when reports came out that her brother had an altercation with security guards at Dasmariñas Village last month.

Having witnessed the incident, the senator came out with two statements defending the mayor and her family after they were criticized in social media for alleged abuse of authority.

Binay said the matter has been settled among the concerned parties, and that both sides have moved on.

“It is uplifting to find God in the midst of troubles, pains and sufferings,” she said. “It is heartwarming to know that there are friends and good Samaritans who are willing and ready to lend a hand, a shoulder, a back whenever needed.”

Binay added that her family “as well had to brave some storms but all these shall come to pass as we find hope and joy this Christmas and the year ahead.”

She said her father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, also had to make some sacrifices in relation to the pork barrel scam involving businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles even though he was never implicated in that issue.

The Vice President decided to give up his office’s P200 million in pork barrel-like funds in the 2014 General Appropriations Act in response to the people’s demand for the elimination of this due to reported misuse over the years. – With Marvin Sy