A police officer in Quezon City has been suspended for one year after hitting with a gun the tricycle driver that he accosted in 2017.
The Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) handed the decision to suspend Cpl. Rick Tanguilan after being found guilty of oppression and grave abuse of authority through inflicting body harm, the local government said Friday.
The PLEB also ordered him to undergo Focused Reformation/Reorientation and Moral Enhancement Seminar before his reinstatement once he finishes his suspension.
The local government said Tanguilan was accused of hitting Jerry Jermina several times using the butt of his gun.
In its decision, the PLEB stated that Tanguilan “inflicted bodily harm upon the person of the Complainant by hitting the latter's head with the butt of a gun.”
“And he was able to do this because Respondent gravely abused his authority as police officer.”
For Mayor Joy Belmonte, “while it is true that the police are our partners in law enforcement in maintaining peace and order, we leave no room for erring cops in this city.”
Belmonte was the one who strengthened the PLEB recently and appointed lawyer Rafael Calinisan as its executive officer last July 2020.
“Three years is just too long a wait for administrative cases against abusive policemen. Justice delayed is justice denied. Under my watch, we will resolve all cases within sixty days. This is our job, and we intend to do it well,” Calinisan said.
Currently, there are at least 40 related cases awaiting resolution based on PLEB records.