By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Roy Yanson, who is considered president of Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) based on a decision by the company’s board of directors, slammed the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) accusing their units of using “brute force” against civilians inside the Bacolod South Terminal and their corporate offices in Barangay Mansilingan last week.
In a statement forwarded to the local media yesterday morning, he said the public show of “brutality and violation of rights” has caused chaos, confusion, and destruction of private property. He also claimed hundreds of employees were prevented from working by members of law enforcement.
Yanson also criticized the use of over 300 armed police personnel to pressure company board members to vacate their offices, characterizing it as a “misuse of armed power.”
Despite the criticism against local police, the company official thanked Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Oscar Albayalde for issuing a statement condemning the unusual show of force.
“While some may have physical possession of some of our corporate facilities, the control and management of our company remains with the Board of Directors, who will continue to perform its functions for the welfare of our employees and the riding public,” he added.
Last Friday, Leo Rey Yanson gained control of company headquarters after a portion of the wall was torn down, enabling guards to enter. The guards, who were accompanied by police, were acting upon an order by the PNP-Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies.
Roy Yanson has since filed a petition for a writ of amparo before the Supreme Court over the incident.
A writ of amparo mandates hearings be conducted on an issue within seven days, wherein a temporary protection order is issued for the petitioner and the respondent is given 72 hours to provide a response to the allegations./DGB, WDJ