Escudero eyes raps vs. police generals in alleged meeting with Roxas staff

Senator Francis Escudero is threatening to file complaints for violation of election laws against four police generals after they allegedly met a staff member of administration standard bearer Mar Roxas at Quezon City hotel recently.

The four police generals he's referring to are Director Generoso Cerbo Jr., head of the Directorate for Intelligence, and Chief Superintendents Renier Idio, Bernardo Diaz, and Ronald Santos.

Idio is the police regional director in Cagayan Valley, Diaz in Western Visayas, and Santos in Calabarzon.

They were reportedly with Major General Oscar Lactao of the Armed Forces. He has been asked to explain by Armed Forces chief of staff General Hernando Irriberi.

The senator, who is running for vice president as an independent candidate, said he expects PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez to make good on his word to relieve the concerned police officials once a complaint has been filed against them.

“Dapat matigil na ito. Masyado na akala nila kaya nilang gawin ang kahit na anong bagay porke’t administrasyon sila. May tungkulin na dapat gampanan ang PNP," Escudero said on Friday.

"Inaasahan ko si PNP Chief Marquez magiging totoo sa salita niya at ire-relieve ang mga heneral na ito basta may magreklamo lang,” he added during a campaign sortie in Batangas.

Escudero said he has heard reports about some police officials are playing politics in the run-up to to the elections.

“Matagal na naming naririnig ‘yan na may papel na ginagampanan ang ilang mga active at retired na heneral ng PNP. Ngayon lamang marahil sila nahuli ng litrato at kamera sa Novotel," Escudero said.

"Ayon kay PNP Chief Marquez, kapag may magreklamo raw ay agad niyang ire-relieve tulad ng ginawa niya sa chief of police ng isang bayan sa Abra. Puwes, plano naming maghain ng reklamo laban sa mga pulis na nabanggit na nakipagpulong sa staff ni Secretary Roxas,” he added.

Marquez has said the PNP is already investigating the allegations against the four officials.

Roxas said it was only by chance that the generals and a members of his staff were in the same hotel.

"Natanong ko yung isang staff ko. Sabi nila nagkita sila sa lobby. Magkakilala naman sila dahil nanilbihan ako sa DILG, nag chikahan sila at yun din lang yun," Roxas said.

A provision in the 1987 Constitution provides that “no officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political activity.”

The Omnibus Election Code, meanwhile, states that any officer or employee in the civil service, except elected officials, who directly or indirectly intervenes in any election campaign or engages in any partisan political activity, except to vote or to preserve public order, is committing an election offense.

The violation carries a penalty of imprisonment ranging from one year to six years, removal of the right to suffrage, and disqualification from holding public office. —NB, GMA News