MATAPOS MAKULONG mula kahapon (Setyembre 7) hanggang kaninang umaga (Setyembre 8), nakalaya na ang actor-singer-TV host na si Billy Crawford. Ito ay matapos na magpiyansa ang kanyang abogado para sa mga kasong malicious mischief at disobedience to a person in authority na isinampa laban kay Billy sa Taguig Prosecutor’s Office.
Linggo ng madaling-araw nang magwala sa Police Community Precinct 7 (PCP-7) ng Taguig City ang isa sa mga host ng noontine show na It’s Showtime. Ayon sa ilang detalye sa police blotter ng PCP-7, boluntaryo umanong nagpapakulong si Billy sa ‘di malamang dahilan. Ipinaliwanag naman ng desk officer na walang kulungan sa nasbaing presinto pero nagpumilit pa rin umano si Billy, hanggang sa bigla na lang tadyakan nito ang sliding door ng nasabing presinto.
“When he arrived to this office, he ask the desk officer where is the detention cell? [sic] “So the police officer politely answer, ‘We don’t have detention cell here. Sir, we have at Taguig City police station.’ “The desk officer asked him what is his concerned? [sic] “But he did not answer and he insisted that he want to go at Taguig City Police station so the desk officer sought the assistance of PO2 Llagas and PO1 Nicholas.
“Before they arrived here, Billy told the desk officer, ‘I will give you 5 seconds, ‘pag wala pa babasagin ko itong pintuan.’
“Right after he counted for 5 seconds, he kicked the sliding door of our PCP, the sliding door is broken.
“PO2 Llagas and PO1 Nicholas arrived and they immediately apprehended him.”
Pagkatapos ng nangyaring gulo, pansamantalang ikinulong si Billy sa Taguig City Police Headquarters.
Nagbigay naman si Billy ng pahayag sa The Buzz kahapon kaugany ng insidente na naganap ilang oras pagkatapos dumalo ni Billy sa Star Magic Ball sa Shangri-La Makati City.
Sa interview, ipinaliwanag ni Billy kung ano ang nangyari sa pagkakaalam niya. Pero hindi niya binanggit ang dahilan kung bakit niya iyon nagawa.
Ani Billy, “First of all, I would like to apologize for my action. Whatever the speculation is, kung anu-ano ang mga sinasabi ng mga tao, nambugbog daw ako or whatever… Wala po akong kaaway. Kaaway ko po, sarili ko.
“Yes, I had a few drinks. I was just under the influence of alcohol. It’s just related to something else and, then, I actually went to the precinct, nasa Fort kami. And then, I went to the precinct, sinabi ko na pa-hold na lang ako, dito muna ako.
“Of course, they can’t do anything, kasi wala naman akong ginagawa. They couldn’t get involved. So, I walked back outside, called a few people. And then, I asked, ‘yun nga, they said they can’t hold me.
“Then, I went back and I said to the officer on-duty, sinabi ko lang ho, ‘Please lang, i-hold mo na lang ako dito kasi makakasakit pa ako ng tao. Makakasakit pa ako sa sarili ko.’
“And then, nakabasag ako ng salamin, that was it. I don’t remember if I punched or I hit the wall or I kicked the door. But that was it. And then, that was the time na pinasok nila ako [sa kulungan]. Itinulak nila ako na paupo. And, of course, ‘yun nga, I stood up and they pushed me back. And then, ‘yun, that’s all it was.”
Ipinagdiinan din ni Billy na wala siyang sinaktan. “Wala naman akong nasaktan na tao. I’d rather myself be held na lang kesa makasakit pa ako or maaksidente pa ‘ko or makabangga pa ako. Like I’ve said, I’m under the influence of alcohol, which is my responsibility and my fault. So, ‘yun… so I just held myself and then, ‘yun, I’ve been here for hours now.”
Wala rin umanong naganap na anumang suntukan. “Wala, wala akong kaaway. You know what? To be honest with you, lahat naman tayo sumasabog, e. I’m under a lot of stress, fatigue… I’m really tired. I actually just want to have a good time which turned sour. And, it was my fault. Pero wala akong nasaktan. Wala akong itinulak, wala akong tinamaan kundi ‘yung salamin.”
Humingi naman ng paumanhin si Billy sa mga opisyal ng presinto. Hindi raw kasi niya makontrol ang sarili kapag nasa ilalim ng impluwensiya ng alkohol.
“It was my fault for actually being aggressive. Buti na lang, it didn’t happen in a bar. It didn’t happen anywhere. It happened in a precinct and the reason why is, because I knew for a fact that I needed to be controlled. I needed to be in a controlled environment.
“I really apologize to the officers if I said derogatory or anything else. To tell you frankly, kausap ko rin naman po ang mga police and they’ve been quite helpful din naman. On my part, all they ask is for me to do a drug test, which I don’t do drugs. I just had a few drinks, too many, and it was irresponsible on my part.
“When they put the handcuff on me, I sat down and ewan ko… ito ba ‘yung pahinga na sinasabi kong gusto ko? Lahat tayo may pinagdadaanan.”
By Danilo Jamie Flores
