Victim Cries Foul Over Police Inaction in Bacolod Assault
BACOLOD CITY – A man went straight to a local radio news station early Wednesday morning, July 9, after he was allegedly assaulted with no help from the police.
The victim, Butch Cañete, an employee of a pest control company, said the incident happened around 1:00 a.m. along Rosario-Locsin Street. He had just approached a relative, a security guard at a nearby establishment, when a passing man suddenly confronted him and accused him of shouting.
Cañete explained that the man had misunderstood the situation and that he wasn’t shouting at him. However, the stranger became aggressive and allegedly pulled out a gun. Alarmed, Cañete decided to go to the police station to report the incident. On his way, he saw a police patrol vehicle along Luzuriaga Street and asked the officers for help.
Accompanied by two policemen, Cañete returned to the area where the suspect was. Upon arrival, the suspect confronted him, saying, “May dala ka pa nga pulis?” before immediately kicking and punching him.
Shockingly, Cañete claimed that the police officers did not intervene and simply said, “kalma lang, sir,” while the assault continued. The attack persisted until Cañete fell into a ditch after being struck.
Out of fear and frustration over the lack of police action, Cañete chose not to file a blotter report at the station. Instead, he went to K5 News FM Bacolod to share his experience. As of this writing, K5 News FM is seeking a statement from the police station involved and is also trying to locate the suspect for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the police should have immediately stopped the assault and protected the victim. They were expected to arrest the suspect, especially since a weapon was allegedly involved, and assist the victim in filing a report. The incident should have been properly documented, and the officers should have acted professionally. Their failure to respond may be considered neglect of duty and could lead to disciplinary action.