The Philippine National Police (PNP) filed on Wednesday, Nov. 27, criminal charges against Vice President Sara Duterte and a military official who head her security group in connection with the ruckus at the detention facility of the House of Representatives and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) last week.
Police Lt. Col. Jason Conag Villamor, a PNP physician, acted as the complainant in the cases of violations of Article 148, or Direct Assault); Article 151, or Disobedience to a Person in Authority and Agents of Persons in Authority; and, Article 286, or Grave Coercion, of the Revised Penal Code.
The charges were filed before the Office of the Quezon City Prosecutor around noontime on Wednesday.
Aside from Duterte, also charged were Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who heads the Vice President Security Protection Group (VPSPG), and several other security personnel and staff of the Office of the Vice President.
Citing the result of the initial investigation, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said Lachica was seen in the video pushing a police doctor, Villamor, at the VMMC when Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez was being transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center.
“I already requested the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner, for the identities of Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group personnel who reportedly assisted in the forced transfer of Atty. Lopez from the VMMC to St. Luke’s Medical Center using a private ambulance that they hired,” said Marbil.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the police team, led by Villamor, was supposed to assist in bringing Lopez to the VMMC but the Vice President allegedly intervened and took her instead to St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City using a private ambulance.
“Obviously there was some resistance and disobedience that happened,” said Fajardo.
The incident at the VMMC resulted in the PNP sending Police Brig. Gen. Nicanor Torre III, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), to lead the transfer of Lopez from St. Luke’s Hospital to the VMMC.
Rule of Law
“The rule of law is fundamental to our democratic system. No one, regardless of their position, should be above accountability. The PNP remains committed to ensuring the proper execution of lawful orders and protecting public order,” said Marbil.
SECURITY DETAILS RECALLED
In July, the PNP recalled 75 police personnel assigned as security escorts of Duterte.
A total of 31 policemen were retained but on Monday, Nov. 25, they were also recalled following the controversial statement of the Vice President against President Marcos.
But Fajardo said the PNP sent 25 PNP personnel, one of them an official, as replacement.
Also, Brawner Jr. revealed Wednesday, Nov. 27, that he temporarily relieved all the military personnel assigned to the security team of Vice President Duterte.
The members of the VPSPG will be replaced by a joint contingent from the AFP and PNP, Brawner said.
However, he clarified that he will not personally manage the VPSPG, contrary to reports which surfaced online, as it will still be directly under the supervision of the AFP’s Presidential Security Command. (Aaron Recuenco, Martin Sadongdong)
