Members of the UST Junior Judokas filed charges against a Sampaloc police officer, who brandished his gun in a confrontation Sunday night, as they were on the way home after winning their sixth-straight championship.
According to the incident report, police corporal Marvin Castro followed and reprimanded six members of the Junior Judokas, aged between 12 and 17, who were on their way to their dormitory at around 9:30 p.m., for being loud.
According to a GMA News report, Castro told the judokas to ride the police mobile, but they refused.
“Ang reaction po namin, hindi po kami sasakyay agad, kasi parang nakakatakot, kasi first time namin…Kami mga ngayon lang namin naexperience so di talaga namin alam ang gagawin, kaya nag-stay put lang kami sa area na ‘yun,” a member of the Junior Judokas said.
“Ang sabi ko na lang, usap na lang po tayo dito, kuya, kasi di po safe sa gusto mong puntahang area,” he added.
The judokas said Castro then began holding his gun as if threatening them.
“Nag-panic talaga kami…Of course, bata kami, ang sino ba namang gugustuhin na may maglalabas ng baril sa’yo,” another judoka said.
Castro said he had to hold on to his gun as he felt an imminent threat supposedly since the judokas kept glancing at his gun.
“For administrative case, misconduct of duty ang consequence, puwede rin siya ma-disbase from service or ma-suspend. Mayroon pang separate for criminal case na child abuse and grave threat,” Eugene Riego II, one of the lawyers of the six judokas told the Varsitarian.
Parents and coaches of the judokas forwarded the concern to the Barbosa Police Community Precinct police desk at Quiapo and were told to just let the case pass as it was Christmas time.
The six judokas went for a psychological evaluation at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on Tuesday since one of them had an asthma attack and panic attack.
“So far okay naman na ‘yung mga bata, uuwi na sila sa house nila. On-going pa rin ‘yung investigation and pag file ng case,” UST asst. coach Russell Cundangan told the Varsitarian tonight.
