Ka Leody: Carlos should face admin charges over ‘personal’ use of PNP chopper

Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Wednesday said that administrative charges should be filed against Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Dionardo Carlos for requesting the use of a PNP helicopter to fetch him from his "private time" on Balesin island in Quezon.

De Guzman made the remark after Carlos expressed regret over the helicopter's crash, which resulted in the death of a policeman and injury to two others.

Carlos acknowledged that the PNP helicopter had been en route to pick him up from Balesin and bring him back to Camp Crame after his pre-arranged private transport became unavailable.

PNP spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Jean Fajardo said that the flight was considered an administrative mission flight and that it was "normal" for the helicopter to be at the chief's disposal.

“Sapat-sapat yung pag-amin ni PNP Chief Dionardo Carlos na sinundo siya mula sa kanyang RnR gamit ang opisyal na sasakyan ng gobyerno para sa administrative charges,” de Guzman said.

(Carlos admitting that he was picked up from his [rest and recreation] using an official government transport is enough for administrative charges to be filed against him.)

The labor leader also called for an investigation into whether there have been other similar incidents when government transport, facilities, and resources were used for personal reasons, which he called abusive and illegal.

“Hindi nito pinabubuti ang imahe ng PNP sa mata ng publiko, bagkus pinapakita lamang nito ang gaano kaabusado at katalamak ng ganitong kalakaran sa loob ng institusyon,” De Guzman said.

(This does not improve the image of the PNP in the eyes of the public, but only shows how abusive and serious this custom is within the institution.)

“Sa PNP, try this one, gandahan na lang. Maling-mali ito. Ginagamit nila ang resources ng pamahalaan pati sa kanilang mga personal na kapritso at the expense of people's hard-earned taxes at kahit pa isakripisyo ang buhay at kaligtasan ng kanilang mga subordinate,” he added.

(For the PNP, try this one, do better. This is very wrong. They use government resources for their personal whims at the expense of people’s hard-earned taxes and even sacrifice the lives and safety of their subordinates.)

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday backed Carlos, saying it is "rightful" to use law enforcement's chopper for private purposes. He said the PNP helicopter was part of securing the safety of the PNP chief and that the title could not be separated from Carlos. — BM, GMA News