PNP officials relieved over Revilla visit to Enrile

MANILA, Philippines – Several police officials, including the head of the Philippine National Police  Headquarters Support Service (HSS), have been relieved over the unauthorized visit of detained Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr to his fellow detainee, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

In a news briefing in Camp Crame on Thursday, February 26,Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II announced that he had ordered the relief of Police Chief Superintendent Alberto Supapo, and the designation of Police Senior Superintendent Elmer Beltejar as PNP HSS Officer-in-Charge.

“Junior officers who had also violated the rules are under investigation and were relieved,” Roxas added, but did not name the custodial officers.

PNP OIC Deputy Director Leonardo Espina said that the case is under investigation and may be finished by Thursday afternoon.

“Subsequently thereof, there will be criminal and administrative charges that will be filed against all those culpable,” Espina said.

The incident involved the unauthorized visit of Revilla to Enrile, who had a birthday get-together on February 14 at the PNP General Hospital, where he was detained.

‘Proof of violation’

Roxas brought out a diagram of the “movements” of Enrile and Revilla to disprove the contention of the latter that he did not violate any rules. 

Revilla had claimed that he was in the PNP hospital because of a headache, but Roxas said the initial investigation showed that the senator was not brought to the emergency room for his check-up but was at the area where Enrile’s celebration was held. He added that Senator Jinggoy Estrada had done the same thing.

“The same thing also happened with Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Same MO  (modus operandi) kumbaga. Masakit ang ulo, pupunta [raw] sa emergency room pero hindi naman pupunta sa emergency room, pumunta sa salo-salo (It’s the same modus operandi, so to speak. He had a headache, he had to go to the emergency room, but he didn’t, and went to the gathering),” Roxas said. 

Dr Raymond Santos, the ER officer on duty on February 14, said he did not see Revilla in the ER.

Roxas said that based on the initial investigation, the concerned PNP officials and HSS personnel “violated the rules on detainees.”

“This has brought shame to the PNP as an institution, and made it appear that it cannot even implement a simple regulation. So this will be investigated and they will be meted the appropriate punishment,” Roxas said in Filipino.

The 3 senators are detained at the PNP over plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Enrile, however, was moved to the Makati Medical Center in Makati City on Thursday morning due to pneumonia.  – Rappler.com