A lawmaker from Mindanao on Tuesday assailed the reported unauthorized assignment and deployment of police officers as bodyguards of Chinese POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) officials and workers.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said this scheme has reportedly been going on for years, and had emboldened POGO hubs, officials and workers because they are being secured by active and armed state security forces.
Barbers made the statement in reaction to a media report that two members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) assigned in Zamboanga were arrested by local police from Muntinlupa City after both had a major altercation inside the house of one POGO official.
The report, he said, indicated that two PNP-SAF officers were “moonlighting” as personal bodyguards of an unnamed Chinese POGO official residing at Barangay Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City.
Barbers said the report also indicated that the Battalion Commander of the two PNP-SAF officers, who approved his men’s deployment as POGO bodyguards, is receiving a monthly emolument of P40,000 each for their services while half of the amount, P20,000 each, goes to their superior.
“Worse, the two arrested PNP-SAF officers could not provide documents as proof that they are officially designated as POGO bodyguards,” Barbers said.
The Surigao del Norte lawmaker urged PNP chief Gen. Rommel Franciso Marbil to investigate the alleged serious shenanigans being committed by some of his subordinate officers, who are moonlighting as personal bodyguards of POGO workers and officers.
“What is happening at PNP is alarming. The culture that takes precedence among some corrupt officials is dismaying. If a SAF battalion commander can give security escorts to POGOs, it’s not far that he can assign policemen to escort Chinese drug lords,” Barbers said, mostly in Filipino.
According to Barbers, only the PNP Police Security Protection Group (PSPG) has the mandate to provide security of vital government institutions, government officials, visiting dignitaries, and private individuals authorized to be given protection.
The solon from Mindanao said Marbil should investigate and punish all PNP officials responsible for allowing their men to be used as personal bodyguards of POGO officials and other private individuals not authorized to be given protection.
