THE law applies to all, stressed Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil on Sunday, December 1, 2024, as he refuted allegations that the charges filed by police against Vice President Sara Duterte were politically motivated.
In a statement, Marbil reiterated the PNP’s commitment to its mandate to enforce the law “without fear or favor.”
He said inaction to law violations could lead to public distrust particularly to the PNP.
"We have seen how inaction, or selective application of the law, undermines public trust -- like the ‘tokhang’ criticisms of the previous administration, where victims were perceived to be predominantly from the poor. We refuse to let history repeat itself. The PNP is committed to protecting all sectors of society without bias or prejudice,” he added.
The top cop assured the public, however, that legal mechanisms are in place to ensure fairness and due process, stressing that everyone is entitled to defend themselves through these avenues, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Doctor Van Jason Villamor, a police doctor, filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office a complaint against Duterte; Colonel Raymund Lachica, head of the Vice President Security Protection Group; and two other John Does, over the alleged violation of Article 148 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) or direct assault, Article 151 of RPC or disobedience to authority, and Article 286 of the RPC or grave coercion.
It is in relation to the commotion during the transfer of Office of the Vice President’s Undersecretary Attorney Zuleika Lopez from the House of Representatives Detention Center to Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) last week.
Villamor, who is assigned at the Quezon City Police District, was ordered by the House panel to facilitate Lopez’s transfer.
However, Duterte and her security personnel allegedly denied Villamor from fulfilling the order after they pushed him away.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines later ordered the temporary replacement of all of the personnel of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) amid the ongoing investigation of the PNP.
The PNP said 25 police personnel from the Police Security Protection Group will be detailed to the VPSPG. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)