De Dios abuse of authority

[themann]

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/...50921met8.html

EXECUTIVE Director Angelito Vergel de Dios of the Metro Manila Development Authority denied Tuesday using “excessive force” to accost two employees of The Manila Times dawn of Sunday during a minor traffic altercation.

In an interview, de Dios clarified that he only chased the vehicle, a gray Toyota Corolla, of Allan Belizario, 24, an information technology staff of The Times, because Belizario refused to pull over after de Dios, on board his Isuzu Trooper, gave him a signal to stop for alleged reckless driving.

“I spotted the vehicle swerving from left to right on Quezon Avenue which I find very suspicious, given the fact that it was already dawn, so I tried to stop the driver to prevent any untoward incident,” de Dios said.

Belizario insisted that he was not drunk and his car wasn’t swerving when de Dios gave them a signal to pull over.

He accused de Dios of “abuse of authority and maltreatment” after the traffic chief allegedly fired his gun during the spat on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, at around 3 a.m. Sunday.

Belizaro added that de Dios forced his companion, Frank Bartolay, another employee of The Times, to get out of the car, but Bartolay refused.

Belizario and Bartolay decided to stay inside the car until police and MMDA personnel arrived.

De Dios ordered the police and the MMDA personnel to take Belizario and Bartolay to Camp Crame to take alcohol test.

Belizaro said they were allowed to go home at around 7 a.m. after his father talked to the officer in charge.

De Dios denied firing his gun, but admitted in a radio interview over DZBB on Tuesday morning that he was carrying a gun during the spat.

He also denied that he attempted to force Bartolay out of the vehicle, saying that he left after members of the Quezon City police and MMDA arrived at the scene.

“I ordered my driver to chase them because the [way Belizario] drove his car was very suspicious . . . [I thought that] somebody might get hurt if [Belizario was] allowed to continue driving so I decided to check them [out],” he added.

De Dios clarified that he did not intend to harm Belizario and Bartolay.

Bartolay said they did not immediately pull over because de Dios was using his “personal car” that did not have an official MMDA plate. De Dios’ vehicle was using a police siren, Bartolay added. Only the President, Senate president, speaker, chief justice, and drivers of ambulances, police vehicles and fire trucks are authorized to use sirens or blinkers.

Bartolay noted that a woman driving a black Honda CRV was in a convoy with de Dios.
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MMDA exec in hot water over ‘arrest’ of motorist
By Michael Punongbayan
The Philippine Star 09/21/2005

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Executive Director Angelito Vergel de Dios is now in hot water after allegedly firing his gun while accosting a motorist in Quezon City last Sunday.

Prof. Allan Belizario of the Manila Times Language Institute is now contemplating on filing charges against the ranking MMDA official before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

In an interview with The STAR, Belizario said the incident happened at around 3:15 a.m. on the northbound lane of Quezon Avenue near Pantranco.

He was driving a gray Toyota Corolla on his way home when a white Isuzu Trooper behind them started blasting its siren.

Belizario said he was willing to let the vehicle pass, considering that the same appeared to be in a hurry, but he just couldn’t do so quickly enough since another vehicle was in the way.

When the road cleared, the Isuzu Trooper slowed down near his vehicle, giving Belizario and his companion a view of the driver who was pulling out a gun.

"Nataranta na kami kaya binilisan namin," he told The STAR, saying a brief chase ensued before ending near National Bookstore.

When Belizario stopped his car, Vergel de Dios allegedly alighted and asked them if they knew who they were up against.

Belizario said Vergel de Dios tried to drag his companion out of the car and fired a shot to the ground using a silver caliber .45 pistol.

He said he noticed that the MMDA official’s vehicle was not sporting a red license plate and had no escorts, but he was being tailed by a black Honda CRV being driven by a woman.

Belizario said Vergel de Dios later radioed for back-up, bringing a white mini van and an MMDA vehicle to the scene.

They were turned over to the MMDA personnel who brought them to a satellite office at the corner of East Avenue and EDSA-Kamuning near the GMA-7 building.

Belizario, who teaches computer literacy for journalism students of the Manila Times School of Journalism, said it was there that they confirmed the identify of Vergel de Dios since he was being referred to as M-1 or Metro 1.

He said and his friend were taken to and from Camp Crame several times because Vergel de Dios ordered that they be tested for alcohol.

Belizario admitted that he drank two bottles of beer, but said he was not drunk so as to be accused of being unfit to drive a motor vehicle.

Interviewed over dzBB radio, Vergel de Dios admitted the incident took place, but justified his actions, saying he was simply performing his duty as an MMDA official to protect the public from a suspected drunk driver.

De Dios confirmed he had a siren in his car and he pulled out his gun, but not before identifying himself as a person of authority.

MMDA Deputy Chairman Cesar Lacuna said he heard of the incident and that Vergel de Dios claimed Belizario and his companion were under the influence of liquor.

"That’s all I know. In so far as possible abuse of authority, we will investigate and look into it, of course," he said.

Belizario said he is now consulting with his colleagues at the Manila Times over the filing charges against Vergel de Dios.

http://philstar.com/philstar/news200509216301.htm

[zidane21]

kakapikon talaga yung mga iyan!! sobra na abuse of authority nila pera naman natin nagpapasweldo sa kanya!!! kala muna kung sino!! :fire:

[j_avonni]

Saan kaya galing si De Dios at that time?

[theveed]

the power of "MEDIA" sa pinas hehe

[mrpink]

IMO .. wala akong maisip na motive ni de dios na harangan yung isang vehicle at 3am in the morning just to flex his muscles .. i'm more inclined to believe na lasing yung dalawang mediamen driving wrecklessly .. pero with the high carjacking incidents nowadays .. i would also be inclined to run from a car telling me to pull over especially kung walang markings ... wala bang report kung lasing nga yung dalawa or kung may powder burns si de dios ..

[graphire]

malas niya at taga media pa nadale nya. buking pa ata si de dios sa misis nya... hehehe.

[zidane21]

carjackings, incident happened at 3am, private car with siren, armed and dangerous personnel... hmmm... mukang pieces of the puzzle a...

[mazdamazda]

the power of "MEDIA" sa pinas hehe

I agree with you on that one.

De Dios seems to be just doing his job.

Kung kelan naman may ginagawa ang mga opisyal eh dun tinitira

[Bogeyman]

De Dios mio! Me ipipintas na naman sa MMDA nito eh.

I guess he had probable cause to go after the two, especially since Prof. Belizario admitted to having two bottles of beer. Medyo sablay lang si De Dios in that he used his personal vehicle in going after them. That, and seeing the occupant inside draw a gun, will definitely raise anyone's suspicions at the time. Dapat nag-radyo na siya for backup even before he gave chase.

[Rediesel]

does not justify him doing a GESTAPO like "arrest".

heck at 3AM, WTF is he doing on the street at 3AM, boss may pasok po kayo ng alas 9 ng umaga, probably gustong MAGPASIKAT sa kasama.

what he should have done, trailed the said vehicle WHILE RADIOING for backup so that they can arrest the "suspect/s" with out much fanfare.

after all the brouhaha, WHAT is the result of the blood alcohol test on the "suspect/s"? De dios himself violated the F*cking law with regards to him having a siren.