Police brutality video: 8 cops under probe

CEBU, Philippines — Eight cops assigned at the Talamban Police Station in Cebu City are facing investigation over allegations of police brutality as captured on a video that went viral online.

The eight have been relieved from their posts at the Talamban Police Station and will stay at the Cebu City Police Office headquarters during the course of the investigation.

Their reassignment, however, is not a form of punishment.

Police Regional Office - 7 Director Debold Sinas said the Regional Internal Affairs Service will conduct the probe.

A video of alleged policemen mauling a man identified later as Eddie Hermosa Basillote alias Eddie and his friends went viral online earlier this week.

CCPO Director Royina Garma said she will give P200,000 to anyone who can execute a formal affidavit and provide the original copy of the video while Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will give P100,000 to whoever can identify the alleged cops in the video.

It is unclear whether or not the eight cops that have been relieved are the ones identified in the post of Osmeña on Facebook yesterday, but those named would reportedly be made to explain.

In his Facebook post, Osmeña said he has received several text messages on the policemen’s identity.

“15 different texters told me that the team leader in the video is one Police Sergeant Reoven Carmelo Rota, leader of the DEU of Station 8, son of former Mandaue BFP Cresenciano Rota, and resident of Sitio Tayabas, Brgy. Pulangbato,” the mayor said.

He quoted a text message:

“Sir mao ni Si Police Sargeant Reoven Carmelo Rota aka Rubi. Leader ni sa DEU sa Talamban. Usa ni sa nangulata atong sa nasipit katong grabe kaayo nakabunndak ug siko sa suspect. Deactivated nmana iyang fb account Sir pero if need ka picture uban provide rako,” reads a text message.

The other names his informants reportedly gave him are Tagalog, Magdali, Lagunsad, Tudtud, and Adalim.

Osmeña said the policemen should be held liable, especially the one wearing a white shirt whose firearm hit the head of a toddler during the incident.

In an April 26 memorandum, the mayor said:

"It is now public knowledge that the police personnel involved in the operation committed numerous violations. Foremost of these violations is that a minor was hit in the head by one of the police personnel, and no police personnel escorted the minor and his/her mother to safety during the operation," the mayor said in the April 26-memorandum order.

He also told Garma in his Facebook post:

“Col. Garma, you said that the men in the video were unfamiliar to you and that you were unsure if they were even police. (How can you be unsure if they BROUGHT THE VICTIM TO THE STATION after the incident?) You even offered 200,000 for information identifying these men. Are you ready with your 200,000? Or are you going to continue to pretend you know nothing?”

Garma also said charges will be filed against the policemen once evidence after investigation warrants.

Sinas said the investigation will look into all allegations thrown at the cops. — Rowena D. Capistrano /JMO (FREEMAN)