Speaker, Lacson commend PNP for swift action vs erring EPD cops

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez
(FOR FILE)
INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines —  House Speaker Martin Romualdez has commended the Philippine National Police (PNP) for disciplining its officers allegedly involved in extortion racker, which resulted in the relief of 31 Eastern Police District (EPD) personnel, as well as its director, Brig. Gen. Villamor Tuliao.

The police officers were relieved from their posts after reportedly committing extortion racket following the arrest of two Chinese individuals last week.

READ: EPD chief sacked over alleged irregularities in arrest of 2 Chinese

“[PNP chief] General [Rommel] Marbil should be praised for taking prompt action on the extortion case allegedly involving at least eight members of the Eastern Police District and in sanctioning the star-ranked district commander for what he described as ‘failure of leadership’,” Romualdez said in a statement on Sunday.

The lawmaker likewise committed to supporting PNP initiatives that will improve its frontline services and back support reform initiatives, even to the extent of allocating more funds.

“It is initiatives such as this that will make people restore their trust in our national police organization and in their local police forces,” he added.

In a separate statement, senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson expressed dismay over the 31 police officers who were involved in a raid that led to the purported theft of some P75 million in cash and valuables.
Based on reports, the officers raided a house in Las Piñas City last April 2 to serve an arrest warrant, which was outside their area of responsibility.

In line with this, Lacson called for an “intensified internal cleansing” to avoid similar cases in the future.

“Indisputably, it was not a police operation but an armed robbery. To describe these cops as police scalawags would be an understatement,” he said on Saturday.