BGC Posts Official Statement on Guards’ Arrest of Two Englishmen
A few days ago, we have shared with you a video of what seems to be a rough arrest of two Englishmen in Bonifacio Global City. According to the YouTube comment of user GriffinCorp, the story behind the said arrest began with the use of skateboard in BGC.
Inquirer.net posted the details of the said violent arrest. Two Englishmen, Samuel James Reynolds and Christopher Edwards, were arrested last September 27, and complaints for malicious mischief and slight physical injuries were filed against them. The complainants are BGC guards Nydes Buenafe and Imbran Ibno, while the Taguig Police filed the said complaints in behalf of the two. According to Buenafe and Ibno, Reynolds and Edwards purportedly assaulted them while they were implementing the ban on the use of skateboards and confiscating said skateboard. The Englishmen posted bail on September 30.
Inquirer.net detailed:
According to the charge sheet signed by investigation unit head Chief Insp. Benito Basilio Jr., Buenafe tried to accost Reynolds and Edwards for skateboarding around 5:30 p.m. at the BGC’s Terra Park on 28th Street. When she told Reynolds that what they were doing was prohibited at the area, the man replied: “I don’t care, you (expletive)! Two policewomen told me that we can skateboard inside this park.”
“I don’t respect you! I only respect the police. They are the only ones authorized to give us (orders),” the charge sheet quoted him as saying.
This prompted Buenafe to call Ibno for help, and together they tried to confiscate Reynold’s skateboard. But the man resisted and, “with intent to harm, strongly pushed Buenafe” and caused injuries on her lips and scratches on her neck and left jaw.
When Ibno tried to pacify Reynolds, the Englishman allegedly hit him several times in the stomach and grabbed and damaged his vest and badge.
Edwards joined the fray and also hit Ibno in his stomach, the complaint said.
Reynolds and Edwards fled the scene but were intercepted on 5th Avenue by other security guards who had been alerted to the commotion. It was this arrest that was captured on video, which showed the two taking several punches from the complainants’ colleagues before they were finally subdued.
In lieu with this, last October 1, the Bonifacio Estate Services Corporation (BESC) posted their official statement on BGC’s Facebook.
It goes:
Last Saturday, September 27, 2014, at around 5:25 pm, there was an incident in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) involving BGC’s marshals and two foreigners. A portion of this incident was captured in a video that circulated in social media.
We regret this incident and apologize for the conduct of some of our marshals. We will take all necessary steps to discipline the marshals involved, and ensure that this incident is never repeated.
This incident began at our children’s play park in Terra 28th, where a BGC lady marshal approached two foreigners to advise them of the “No Skateboarding” rule at the park. The two foreigners resisted the advice, with one of them uttering an expletive, and a second marshal was radioed for assistance. While insisting that they comply with the rules, the two marshals were shoved and punched by the two foreigners, and the latter ran from the scene. More back-up marshals were requested, a chase ensued, and the scene of the apprehension was captured by the video.
We do not prohibit skateboarding but limit it along the closed roads of Turf BGC for the safety of the general public. We also plan to put up a Skateboard Park near 34th St. in the next couple of years.
Our marshals are tasked to enforce the rules and maintain peace and order within BGC, and while their actions in this particular incident were not unprovoked, we do not condone the over-aggressive behavior shown by some of them in this incident. We will strive to ensure that BGC marshals always act professionally, lean on the side of restraint, and are able to regain the trust and confidence of everyone who lives, works and visits BGC.
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BGC Posts Official Statement on Guards’ Arrest of Two Englishmen
