MANILA – 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. (PNA)
