Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Tuesday said he wants all those involved in the moonlighting racket of two Special Action Force (SAF) commandos as security escorts of a Chinese national to be dismissed from the service.
This came as Marbil ordered the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to investigate the matter.
“I spoke to our IAS na sabi ko hindi ako natutuwa (I am not pleased). These people should learn their lesson. They should not stay in the service. Hindi tama yan (That is not proper), especially in SAF. It creates ‘yung pag-aaway ng mga (a conflict among) units,” he said in a radio interview.
Aside from the two SAF commandos, Cpl. George Mabuti and Pat. Roger Valdez, seven other officers of the unit are now under investigation for possible connivance over the scheme.
Mabuti and Valdez were arrested by the Ayala-Alabang Police Sub-Station 5 after they engaged in a fistfight which became the subject of a complaint by residents inside the posh village in Muntinlupa City on May 18.
Investigation showed that Mabuti and Valdez were not rendering official duty to their assigned units — the 52nd Special Action Company Zamboanga and the 55th Special Action Company Zamboanga, respectively.
Marbil said providing security for outsiders of the police force is not part of the duties of the SAF, PNP’s elite unit.
He said this act “demoralizes the whole unit and destroys the dignity of our uniform.”
He said only the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) is allowed to provide protective security personnel to those who have valid security threats to their lives.
Persons requesting protective security personnel would also undergo a threat assessment, he added.
Marbil also ordered a revision of the policy on the deployment of police officers as security escorts.
“Dapat kung less than six months, ang bibigay nating security doon sa isang tao kung may threat siya, PSPG director ang mag-approve (If it’s less than six months, the PSPG director would be the one to approve) and the rest is the chief PNP, but right now binago natin yung policy natin (we revised our policy). Only the PSPG regional director can give security to high threats for only 1 month. The rest is under DCO (Deputy Chief for Operations) to account for all our personnel,” he said.
‘Disappointing culture’
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers urged Marbil to investigate and punish all police officials responsible for allowing their men to be used as personal bodyguards of POGO officials and other private individuals not authorized to be given police protection.
“Grabe na ang nangyayari sa PNP, ibang nakakadismayang kultura na talaga ang nangingibabaw sa isip ng ilang tiwali nating opisyal (What is happening in the PNP is bad, another disappointing culture is really dominating the minds of some of our corrupt officers),” Barbers said in a statement.
Kung ang Battalion Commander sa PNP-SAF ay kayang magpa-deploy ng bodyguards sa POGO, hindi malayong mangyari na pwede rin silang maging bodyguard ng mga Chinese drug lords (If the Battalion Commander in the PNP-SAF can deploy bodyguards in POGO, it is not far from happening that they can also become the bodyguards of Chinese drug lords),” he added.
He said only the PNP Police Security Protection Group (PNP PSPG) has the mandate to provide security of vital government institutions, government officials, visiting dignitaries, and private individuals authorized to be given protection. (Zaldy De Layola/PNP)