A Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) official is facing charges of unjust vexation and oral defamation for lashing at the police personnel assigned at the Biñan Football Stadium.
Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified the Phisgoc official as Mark Nikolai Villamora, the Phisgoc planning chief who gave them a tongue-lashing after refusing to subject himself and his companions to security protocol.
Spokesman PBGen. Bernard Banac tagged the incident as unfortunate after Villamora unleashed a verbal assault on police personnel tasked to secure the safety of those in the stadium on 25 November.
He said the Phisgoc official raised his voice, saying: The chief of police has nothing to do with this. I will allow my companions to enter the stadium whether you like it or not.
The same incident happened again on 29 November when Villamora hurled expletives towards policemen to get out of his sight.
“You’re not allowed here. Don’t act as if you’re special because we’re in-charge of the security here,” Banac quoted Villamora as saying.
Banac said they were saddened with the incident, but they will still maintain their good relationship with the chief organizing body of the biennial meet.
“We are saddened with the misunderstanding that happened,” Banac said.
“But this is an isolated incident and does not depict the kind of coordination Phisgoc and the PNP has.”
He also appealed to everyone to observe all security measures to avoid a similar incident from happening again.
“The public’s safety outweighs the small inconvenience of having to pass through all layers of security while the Games are ongoing,” the official said.
“We call on our colleagues in the PNP to just continue in implementing tight security measures until the SEA Games conclude, that no untoward incident will happen and our visitors will go back to their home countries safely.”
