DILG chief orders probe into case of police exec who fired gun in QC

Interior and Local Government Sec. Benjamin Abalos Jr. | File photo / Albert Calvelo of Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation into the case of Mark Julio Abong, the police officer who was arrested for firing his gun outside a bar in Quezon City.

Abalos also condemned all erring actions committed by public servants, including members of law enforcement agencies, saying that “law-breaking policemen have no place in the police organization.”

“In this regard, I have already ordered a thorough probe on the case of Lt. Col. Mark Julio U. Abong […] Abong’s unwanted actuation smack of abuse of power and authority by a man in uniform, and I will not tolerate that,” the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief stressed.

“I have also ordered a comprehensive background check on his current status at the PNP (Philippine National Police) so that appropriate actions could be taken,” he added.

Earlier Monday, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said Abong is under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU).

Maranan likewise announced that Abong was slapped with charges of illegal discharge of firearms, alarm and scandal, and violating the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act in relation to the Omnibus Election code, as well as physical injury and slander by deed. The QCPD filed the formal complaints before the city’s prosecutor’s office on Sunday.

The police officer was apprehended early morning Sunday in front of a bar along Scout Rallos corner Scout Tobias Street in Barangay Laging Handa. His arrest stemmed from assaulting a bar server and harassing one of the customers outside the establishment by firing his gun twice.

READ: Belmonte wants fair probe on police officer who fired gun outside QC bar

Abong was also involved in a hit-and-run case near Anonas Street last August 2022, wherein he was charged for the death of Joel Larosa and the injury of the tricycle driver’s passenger. The victim’s family lodged complaints against him for allegedly trying to whitewash the case.

READ: QC-PLEB surprised Abong still active in PNP despite March dismissal order

Months later, on March 27, the Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) released a ruling in his case, dismissing him from police service. But despite this, QC-PLEB said it was surprising that Abong was still a police officer serving the PNP’s Legal Service department.

READ: QC-PLEB dismisses cop tagged in 2022 hit-and-run of tricycle driver

Sought for a comment, QCPD CIDU chief Maj. Don Don Llapitan said in an interview on Monday that Abong had filed an appeal for reconsideration of PLEB’s ruling.

However, QC-PLEB executive officer and lawyer Rafael Calinisan said in a separate interview that although the police officer filed an appeal — which he said was denied — the decision of the board is still “final and executory” as stated in the Republic Act (RA) 6975 or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Act of 1990; RA 8551 Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998; and National Police Commission Circulars 2016-002, and 2019-005.