Ignore name-droppers, cops warned

MANILA, Philippines — Police officers will face administrative charges if they give in and be intimidated by violators who drop names of people in high places, the acting chief of the Philippine National Police warned on Friday.

In a directive, PNP officer in charge, Police Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, ordered all police personnel to ignore name-droppers, and people who flash calling cards of high-ranking police and government officials, just to get out of tight situations including simple traffic violations.

“We will no longer tolerate this. Anyone who will not enforce the law just because somebody tells them that he is a friend of some government big shot will be charged administratively for negligence,” he said.

Gamboa issued the directive amid reports that policemen tend to be “easily intimidated” when accosting violators who are fond of flashing calling cards of their “friends in high places.”

“It is no longer acceptable to be bullied by those who brandish calling cards,” he said in a statement in Filipino.

The acting PNP chief said the practice became more prevalent during this Christmas season, when traffic in Metro Manila had turned from “worse to worst.”

“Many motorists break traffic rules just to get ahead in the gridlock, thinking that their calling cards will always save the day,” Gamboa said.