The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police is looking into the case of the four police generals who were reported to have met with campaign managers of the Liberal Party in a hotel in Quezon City.
PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said he is awaiting the findings of the PNP watchdog on the police generals who are accused of electioneering and political partisanship.
“We gave them a much shorter timeframe to finish their inquiry. We will have a decision even before the May 9 elections,” said Marquez.
The PNP hierarchy was rocked with controversy after four officials—Director Generoso Cerbo Jr., chief of the PNP directorate for intelligence; and Chief Supts. Ranier Idio, Bernardo Diaz and Ronald Santos—were spotted on April 2 by journalists at the Novotel Manila hotel in Cubao, Quezon City, where a confidential meeting of the ruling party was in progress.
Major General Oscar Lactao was also spotted at the lobby.
Cerbo, Idio, Diaz, Santos and Lactao are members of the Philippine Military Academy “Maharlika” Class of 1984, which adopted LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas as an honorary member.
Marquez earlier said he was ready to relieve the officials if a complaint of electioneering or partisanship was made against them, although the officials claimed they were there for a personal meeting unrelated to the elections.
Vice presidential candidate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero has demanded the relief of the police officials in a letter sent to Marquez as a formal complaint against the four officials.