Barely a week after a police shooting that killed ex-military Cpl. Winston Ragos in Quezon City, another incident of brutality has been reported this time committed by members of the Office of the Mayor’s Task Force Disiplina, who were seen in a video beating a man with wood along Panay Avenue in Barangay South Triangle for alleged enhanced community quarantine violation.
[READ: Military power shows its fatality as policeman guns down man in Quezon City]In the video taken by a concerned citizen, at least five men in city-issued uniforms can be seen ganging up on a man who was identified by witnesses as a fish vendor.
On the afternoon of Monday, Apr. 27 said men repeatedly hit the alleged ECQ violator with a rattan stick used in arnis. The man can be heard wailing “aray ko!” from the pain of being beaten and pleading “wala naman akong ginagawa” throughout the video.
The reason according to a report was because the fish vendor was not wearing a mask. Residents who knew the man said he had been allowed to sell in the area since a week ago alongside a water refilling station where he occasionally helps out.
The authorities can also be heard arguing with witnesses telling them not to “tolerate such acts” as the man was being taken away by his arms and legs.
Witnesses shouted at the authorities saying they didn’t need to beat the man and that they were abusing their power. “Hindi ninyo pwedeng bugbugin. Wala kayong karapatang manakit!” a woman shouted.
The Quezon City government released a statement addressing the incident saying “The City Government shall never condone any acts of violence or violation of human rights, regardless of reason or justification, especially when committed by an official or employee of the City Government or any of the City’s Barangays.”
The statement also assured the public that a full-blown investigation is being conducted on the matter, and “any person found to have acted unlawfully or improperly shall be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Header photo screenshot from Inquirer-uploaded copy of the video of the incident
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