The Guam Police Department continues to withhold the name of the police officer who allegedly assaulted 65-year-old Veronica Patao last Thursday at the Dededo police precinct. GPD refuses to disclose the name to Ms. Patao as well.
GPD spokeswoman Berlyn Savella has said that since the matter is under internal investigation, they cannot release the name of the officer. And the media is unable to name the suspect (identified by the Pataos through a Facebook search) because no public charges have been filed. And no charges have been filed because no criminal report has been made.
The refusal to disclose creates a Catch-22 for Ms. Patao and her husband – John Patao – and for any citizen who would like to file a criminal complaint against the officer. No one can file a criminal complaint against this officer without knowing the name of the of the officer.
Last Thursday, Ms. Patao and her husband, military veteran John Patao visited the precinct to follow up on an assault complaint they had made against another person earlier in the week. Instead, the Pataos were arrested; an officer “Pangelinan” telling them the other person made an assault complaint against them.
According to both Pataos, Mr. Pangelinan tried to force them to sign a paper they both could not read without their glasses, and which he allegedly refused to expain to them the contents. They were held in separate rooms inside the Dededo police precinct.
Ms. Patao is a cancer patient, and also suffers heart issues and seizures. She said she informed this police officer about her health issues, when he informed her of her arrest. She asked him if she could at least retrieve and take her medication in the car.
Following the alleged police assault, Ms. Patao had a seizure in the interview room. Mr. Patao, who was held in an adjacent room, said he heard her fall on the floor and the gurgling sound she makes when she has a seizure. He also said other officers were around and could hear everything going on.
None of the officers did anything for close to half an hour, when one of them finally called medics to help Ms. Patao.
The Pataos said his name badge read “Pangelinan.”
Five phone recordings while in Pangelinan’s custody
Ms. Patao was able to send Kandit three phone recordings she secretly took while she was in custody at the police precinct. She said there were five recordings prior to Mr. Pangelinan confiscating her phone, which was not password protected. When her phone was returned, Ms. Patao noticed that the two recordings she did not send to Kandit were no longer on her phone.
If a police officer, without a search warrant, had verified the contents of Ms. Patao’s media files against what she had already sent to a news media outlet, that officer not only would have violated Ms. Patao’s constitutional right against unwarranted search and seizure, but also the source privilege that existed between Ms. Patao and Kandit.
Kandit compiled the three existing recordings into one video file, which we present here. The compilation is in chronological order. The first part of the recording, which she said she took while her phone was hidden behind her purse, features Ms. Patao arguing with a man inside the precinct.
She accuses him of using profanity against her, matching her description of the manner in which Mr. Pangelinan verbally assaulted the elderly, sickly woman.
“I have a heart condition, officer,” she pleaded with him in the recording.
“It doesn’t change the fact,” he replied to her, “I’m not going to argue with you.”
The compilation transitions to the second recording, which was a voice recording.
“Officer, please give me a chance,” Ms. Patao struggles to say. “I can barely breathe already, and I don’t have my [medication] and my seizure medicine, and all you’re doing is cussing at me, and raising your voice to me,” she continued to plead in a desperate tone.
“You said to me, ‘What the fuck,’ and you punched the door, and ‘Who the fuck do you think you are,’ because I’m alone with you in this room,” she said over his protests. The voice of a third person can be heard in this recording.
The compilation then transitions to the third recording, a voice note to Kandit in which Ms. Patao informs Kandit of her seizure and begs for Kandit to find a way to get her medicine and to call attorney David Lujan to intervene.
“I had a seizure on the floor, and I got the medics here, and I need your help,” Ms. Patao begged while at the precinct. “Please! I don’t have my medication! They’re arresting John and I. I need your help! Help me! I just had a seizure on the floor here at GPD. And I need your help… Get David. Get David!”
Lou Leon Guerrero’s spokeswoman, Krystal Paco-San Agustin Thursday morning said she is preparing a statement regarding the incident.
