Two police officers and their commanders will be dismissed from service for allegedly working side jobs for Davao City Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.
In an ambush interview, PNP chief Police General Rommel Marbil said the two police officers appeared in a viral video alongside Representative Duterte, who was seen assaulting a man at a bar in Davao City.
“Meron po kaming nakita sa video na apat po, dalawang pulis at dalawang armed forces. Doon sa dalawang pulis (We have seen on video that there were four: two police officers and two armed forces personnel. For the police officers), they are not authorized, they are moonlighting),” Marbil said.
Marbil also noted that the police officers involved surrendered their firearms and IDs.
“Sinurrender po nila yung firearms nila pati IDs nila, but they went absent without official leave. Madi-discharge po yung dalawang pulis namin for moonlighting, kasama po yung commanders nila for allowing them, for not accounting,” he added.
(They surrendered their firearms and their IDs, but they were absent without official leave. Our two police officers will be discharged for moonlighting, along with their commanders for allowing this and not accounting for them)
Marbil said the PNP will file a case of dishonesty against the two police officers, which may result in their perpetual disqualification from holding any position in government.
A businessman earlier filed a complaint before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Pulong, alleging physical injuries and grave threats concerning a 23 February incident.
In the complaint, Duterte is being accused of committing less serious physical injuries and grave threats as defined under the Revised Penal Code.
Pulong has opted not to comment on the complaint filed against him.
On the other hand, the PNP said it has filed a complaint against a Davao-based vlogger for allegedly spreading “fake news” about a supposed raid on the residence of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said the filing marks the initial action of the newly created Anti-Fake News Action Committee, which is tasked with going after individuals who spread disinformation.
“Ito ay isang fabricated [claim], suggesting intentional manipulation to spread false narrative na kung saan po ay pumapatak sa isang disinformation,” Tuaño told reporters in a separate media briefing.
(This claim is fabricated, suggesting intentional manipulation to spread a false narrative, which falls under disinformation)
He said the vlogger was charged before a Davao court with unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances, about the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The male vlogger, with 218,000 subscribers, over 2 million total views, and 218 videos uploaded, allegedly claimed that 30 operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and 90 members of the Special Action Force from Luzon would raid Duterte’s house on the night of April 30.
This claim reportedly led some of Duterte's supporters to gather at his residence.