Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City (File picture from GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines — An administrative case will be filed against the policeman responsible for disrupting the traffic flow in Commonwealth avenue, Director of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan said on Friday.
The cop is Police Executive Master Sergeant Verdo Pantollano, as identified by QCPD Public Information Office in a message to INQUIRER.net.
Pantollano reportedly stopped the traffic in the highway after he misheard the word “VIP” as “VP.”
He apparently thought the Vice President of the Philippines would be passing through.
According to Maranan, this kind of mistake is dangerous and not tolerated within the police force.
“Delikado po talaga ‘yon, kaya hindi natin pinalalampas ‘yung mga ganyang pagkakataon,” he said in an interview on Radyo 630.
(It is really dangerous, so we do not let this slide.)
“Kapag nagkamali ‘yung pulis, talagang atin pong pinaparusahan,” he noted.
(When the policeman makes a mistake, we really penalize them.)
“Kaya po atin siyang ni-relieve na at pa-file-an natin ng administrative case,” he added.
(That’s why we relieved him and we will file an administrative case.)
Maranan clarified police undergo training but mistakes like this can still happen.
“Pero ang pamunuan naman po ay hindi kumukunsinti sa mga pagkakamali,” he said.
(But the leadership does not tolerate mistakes.)
“Talaga pong [kapag] may pulis tayong nagkamali, whether sinasadya o hindi sinasadya ay pinagagana po natin ang ating disciplinary machinery,” he explained.
(Whenever we have a police officer who makes a mistake, whether intentional or unintentional, we activate our disciplinary machinery.)
RELATED STORIES:
Cop in Commonwealth Ave. roadblock sacked – QCPD
OVP verifying details of video allegedly showing closed-off road for ‘VIP’