Taguig Police "Hulidap" Video Goes Viral — Five Officers…

Taguig Police "Hulidap" Video Goes Viral — Five Officers Relieved of Duty

📌 On Tuesday, October 6, a video went viral showing a 24-year-old man being nearly taken away in handcuffs by plainclothes police officers in Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, Metro Manila, raising suspicions of "hulidap" (extortion disguised as an arrest). The Philippine National Police (PNP) relieved five officers, including four officers involved and the station commander, and launched an investigation.

■ Incident Details
· According to the man's family, after taking his girlfriend home, he was on his way to a nearby store when men who identified themselves as police told him he was a member of a robbery gang, and he was nearly taken away in handcuffs.
· When the man resisted and called for help, residents came forward, and the officers left the scene.
· The officers claimed they had been dispatched after a report of someone smoking marijuana, and that they withdrew when residents gathered as they tried to make an arrest.

■ Investigation and Current Status
· PNP spokesperson Colonel Allen Rae Co said on Thursday, October 9, that four officers in plainclothes, along with the station commander, five in total, had been relieved of duty to ensure a fair investigation.
· On Sunday, October 11, PNP Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to investigate possible abuse of authority and procedural violations. Relieving officers of duty is an administrative measure, and no wrongdoing has been confirmed yet.

■ Notes for Residents and Travelers
· If someone in plainclothes claiming to be police attempts to take you away, ask to see their ID and unit affiliation, and call loudly for help from those nearby.
· If possible, record the situation or immediately notify family or friends, and request verification through the police emergency number 911.

■ Sources
GMA News (10/9), Daily Tribune (10/11), Philstar (10/12)