PNP chief wants commander of moonlighting HPG cop

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil —Inquirer/Marianne Bermudez

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil ordered on Tuesday the agency’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to find the immediate commander of the police officer caught escorting a private vehicle in Parañaque City on May 27.

Marbil disclosed his directive to HPG chief Brigadier General Jay Cumigad in a press conference on Tuesday.

“You know, our people really still don’t learn. That’s why I told our HPG Director that we’re not so happy [and] asked him to find who is the immediate commander. How did this happen if the immediate commander didn’t know?” Marbil told reporters.

READ: PNP chief wants to expedite raps vs 2 moonlighting SAF members, commanders

Prior to Marbil’s pronouncement, Cumigad already faced the media, detailing that an officer of PNP HPG and an alleged soldier were apprehended for illegally escorting a private vehicle on Monday.

“I told Gen. Cumigad to investigate. How did this happen? And we have accounting. How does it happen that people leave… that suddenly they were able to leave. Make sure that they are really accounted for, where is their duty and you’ll see. We will not hide such things,” Marbil added.

Cumigad believes the two apprehended officers were “receiving monetary consideration” from the personality they were escorting. To date, the agency has yet to identify the owner of the said private vehicle.

Marbil, in the same press conference, strongly warned against officers supposedly moonlighting, explaining that having a second job in addition to their current employment remains prohibited.

Earlier,  two Special Action Force personnel were also caught on a moonlighting racket for a Chinese national.