The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday imposed a P5,000 fine on the security agency of a ritzy condominium in Taguig City, where TV host-actor Vhong Navarro was beaten up by the group of businessman Cedric Lee, for its failure to report the incident to the police.
United Megaforce Security Services Inc. may also lose its license to operate if it is found to have committed major lapses, according to Chief Insp. Sonny Celedio, administrative officer of the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agency (SOSIA).
The PNP imposed the penalty after SOSIA鈥攖he police unit tasked to supervise private security agencies鈥攕ummoned officials of United Megaforce to shed light on the Jan. 22 incident involving Navarro, Lee and model Deniece Cornejo who had accused the TV host of rape.
Lee鈥攁 friend of Cornejo鈥攕aid he walked into her Forbeswood Heights condominium unit and caught Navarro raping her, prompting him and his companions to beat him up. The actor, on the other hand, claimed that it was all a setup so that Lee could extort money from him.
鈥楾hey are at fault鈥�
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鈥淲e were wondering why they [did not report the mauling immediately]. For that alone, they are at fault. That鈥檚 why we are penalizing them,鈥� Celedio told reporters.
He said the security agency should have informed the nearest police station of the incident within 24 hours after it happened as required by SOSIA鈥檚 existing policy.
Condo owner鈥檚 orders
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Wilfredo Molles, the security agency鈥檚 operation manager, however, explained that they merely complied with the order of Forbeswood management not to report Navarro鈥檚 mauling to the police.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 do anything but obey the instructions of our client,鈥� Molles told reporters.
But Celedio said United Megaforce should not use the building owner鈥檚 order as an excuse. Instead, officials of the security agency should have told their client that they were required to report the incident to the PNP, he added.
PNP鈥檚 warning
鈥淥ur authority is limited only to the private security agencies and their personnel. That鈥檚 why we are telling the security agencies to remind their clients that there are policies which they are bound to respect,鈥� Celedio said.
At the same time, he warned that 鈥渋f a similar incident [happened] and they kept it from the police, we will penalize them.鈥�
According to him, SOSIA鈥檚 investigating unit was ordered to submit a report of its probe of the incident within the week. Depending on the gravity of the security agency鈥檚 violations, it may revoke the license it granted to United Megaforce.
Meanwhile, a Department of Justice (DOJ) panel tasked to conduct a preliminary investigation of the criminal complaint filed by Navarro against Lee, Cornejo and six others will also hear the model鈥檚 rape complaint against the TV host.
2 cases consolidated
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This was after the DOJ consolidated the two cases on Monday 鈥渃onsidering that the complaints鈥� arose from one and the same incident鈥� and are 鈥渇ounded on the same factual and legal issues involving the same parties.鈥�
鈥淭he City Prosecutor of Taguig is hereby directed to transmit the entire records of the complaint of Deniece Millinette Cornejo to the DOJ panel of prosecutors immediately upon receipt thereof,鈥� DOJ Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said in his order. With Christine O. Avendano