Conflict erupted at Manila's Century Tower, also known as the new Vertex Color Building, where police raided the building, accused of illegal arrests and disabling surveillance systems, sparking strong condemnation.
Baby Perian Arcega, legal advisor of the Century Tower property management office, criticized the law enforcement actions in a statement, stating they disrupted the building's operations and severely restricted the daily movement of tenants.
Arcega noted that the police raid targeted the 23rd floor's Vertex Digital Entertainment Technologies Inc., based on a search warrant from a Manila court. However, she emphasized that this company had moved out of Century Tower by the end of last year and had previously held a legitimate offshore gambling license issued by the government.
In the raid, police arrested 75 people. These detainees were held for 48 hours, exceeding the legal limit of 36 hours, and ultimately, 74 were released without charges, with only one person continuing to be detained on kidnapping charges, though specific details have not been disclosed.
The Century Tower also accused the police of adjusting the CCTV cameras' angles during the raid, limiting the monitoring record of the event. "The video shows that the police deliberately changed the direction of the cameras while executing the search warrant," Arcega claimed.
Furthermore, since October 29, the police have been stationed inside the building, continuing to control an area on the first floor, obstructing the building's access and causing panic among tenants. Century Tower consists of commercial units below the 25th floor and residential spaces above. Arcega called on the authorities to restore normal order to ensure the daily operations of tenants and businesses are not disrupted.
It is reported that the raid was initiated by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), targeting foreign suspects allegedly involved in a cryptocurrency scam. The management of Century Tower strongly demands that the police resolve the issue quickly and restore the building to its normal state.
