Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chair Don Artes speaks to the media at his office in Pasig City on March 6, 2024. Artes expressed “reservations” about the arrest of their two personnel over unlawful use of stickers marked with police insignia on May 31, 2024. Artes raised concern about how the two MMDA staff were treated following their arrest in Parañque City on Wednesday, May 29.| PHOTO: MMDA
MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) head Don Artes expressed “reservations” about the arrest of their two personnel over the unlawful use of stickers marked with police insignia.
Artes raised concern about how the two MMDA staff were treated following their arrest in Parañque City on Wednesday, May 29.
“Ang akin reservations siguro, the way ‘yung pag-treat sa tao namin. Dinetain sila sa mahabang oras, hinayaang ma-interview ng mga media sa harap nila, which can be considered as an interrogation, nang wala pong abogado ‘yung aming tauhan,” he told reporters during a chance interview at an event in Quezon City on Friday.
(Maybe my reservations are on the way our personnel were treated. They were detained for a long time and allowed to be interviewed by the media in front of them, which can be considered an interrogation without our staff having a lawyer.)
READ: HPG nabs Tolentino’s MMDA escorts over sticker with PNP insignia
MMDA employees Teofilo Labsan Padilla, 64, and Jonathan Alames Pacle, 42, were caught illegally using the insignia of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Master Rider’s Badge as printed on stickers attached to their motorcycles’ windscreen and saddle box, according to Highway Patrol Group (HPG) Director Col. Neil Francia on Thursday.
Padilla and Pacle were assigned to the MMDA’s traffic aide unit and allowed to provide security to Senator Francis Tolentino, he added.
They were released from police custody later Thursday through a Parañaque City court order.
Artes said that MMDA’s initial investigation of the incident showed their two personnel immediately introduced themselves as MMDA employees and did not misrepresent themselves as police officers upon arrest.
READ: Tolentino: We have no control over stickers escorts put on vehicles
He also noted that Padilla and Pacle were authorized to escort Tolentino on May 29 following the request of the senator, who had an appointment with Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin. that day.
MMDA’s old motorcycles
Artes then pointed out that the motorcycles involved were old units that had been in use over the years through different MMDA officials.
“Kasi may ibang opisyales kami sa MMDA na come and go, ‘yung iba galing sa PNP, so baka along the way nadikitan ito ng sticker ng pulis kaya nalagyan ng ganoon,” he explained.
(Because other officers in the MMDA come and go, and the others are from PNP, maybe along the way, a police sticker was attached.)
The MMDA chief nevertheless said they are coordinating with PNP Director Gen. Rommel Marbil, who committed to requesting the creation of an inter-agency panel that would formulate rules to avoid a repeat of this incident.
He likewise disclosed that the MMDA’s investigation will continue to determine if the two personnel should be administratively charged.