Police: No basis yet to probe solon accused of hitting guard

At least for now, Quezon City police are not taking any action on a security guard's claim that he was punched by a congressman at the UP Ayala Technohub last week. In a radio interview, Quezon City Police District Station 9 head Superintendent Osmundo de Guzman said the guard, Ricardo Bonayog, did not file a formal complaint on the matter with them. "Hindi makakagawa ng hakbang ang pulis natin kung hindi personal [na] magrereklamo ang complainant, formal na magla-lodge ng complaint (We cannot make any move until he personally files a formal complaint)," De Guzman, whose station has jurisdiction over the area where the supposed incident occurred, said Tuesday in an interview on dzBB radio. De Guzman said that while Bonayog went to the police station to have the incident recorded on the blotter, he did not file a formal complaint. "Hindi siya nakapagbigay ng formal statement sa opisina dahil ang sabi niya ay kailangan malaman ng kanilang legal officer kung anong legal action. Simula noon di na siya bumalik sa opisina (Bonayog did not give a formal statement. He claimed he had to let his security agency's legal officer know what happened. He has not returned to the police station since)," he said.

Bonayog earlier accused Lanao del Sur Rep. Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman of boxing him at the UP Ayala Technohub last August 31. Pangandaman, who was embroiled in a mauling incident at a golf course in 2009, has denied the allegation. The solon claimed the guard repeatedly uttered expletives after seeing his car, which has the protocol plate number "8" assigned to members of the House of Representatives, as it entered the Technohub’s parking lot. He claimed Bonayog was about to draw his firearm, an act that prompted him to hit the guard with rolled-up pieces of paper that he was holding at that time. Pangandaman said he is planning to file harassment charges against Bonayog. Blotter De Guzman confirmed that Bonayog went to the police station at 9:35 p.m. last Aug. 31 to report the incident and have it recorded on the blotter. Bonayog narrated the incident involved a man aboard a Porsche Carrera sports car with the plate number "8," he said. "Noong ni-report niya wala siyang in-identify na tao, yun lang description niya sa tao. Ngayon, instruct siya ng desk officer kumuha ng medical certificate para sa kanyang reklamo. Kinabukasan, bumalik siya kasama ang kanyang officer. Kumuha siya ng excerpt ng blotter," De Guzman said. (When he reported the incident initially, he did not identify anyone. He just described those involved. Our desk officer instructed him to get a medical certificate. He returned the next day with his officer and had the incident recorded on the blotter)," De Guzman said. When asked if this means the police cannot act on Bonayog's claims for now, de Guzman said, "Opo (yes)." "Walang mangyayari sa kasong yan kung hindi mismo complainant magrereklamo nang personal (Nothing will happen to the case if the complainant does not personally file a complaint)," he added. — RSJ, GMA News