2 cops accused of moonlighting for Paolo Duterte sacked

National

TWO policemen have been ordered dismissed from service for allegedly “moonlighting” as personal bodyguards for Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Marbil on Wednesday, May 7, said the policemen may also face administrative charges

The officers were identified as Police Executive Master Sergeant Rexter Millano and Staff Sergeant Leonard Pamat.

A surveillance camera footage, which surfaced online, showed Duterte in an altercation at a bar in Davao, accompanied by Millano, Pamat, and two personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Marbil underscored that the two were acting as Duterte's bodyguards without proper authorization. Consequently, dishonesty charges may be filed against them.

"Once we file dishonesty [charges], that’s perpetual disqualification from any government post. This is our warning to the police force: make sure to take your job religiously,” Marbil said in a Philstar report.

A memorandum from the Davao City Police Office to the Police Regional Office 11 revealed that the two were assigned to the seventh and 12th substations of the city police.

“They were subjected to pre-charge investigation facing administrative offense of grave irregularities in the performance of duty particularly acting as bodyguards for a public official without proper authority,” the memo read.

Marbil emphasized the seriousness of moonlighting within the police force. He also called for administrative sanctions against the officers’ immediate superiors.(John Ryan Ledesma, CTU-TC Intern)