CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Calamba City – Chief Supt. Roberto B. Fajardo, Philippine National Police (PNP)-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) Director, on Thursday warned cops against moonlighting as escorts of private individuals.
Fajardo, who presided over the HGP oversight committee meeting with regional chiefs of National Capital Region (NCR), Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4A (Calabarzon) at the HPG regional office in this camp, also ordered cops to intensify the arrest of carnappers.
The warning came after two cop escort riders were recently captured on dash cam and went viral and are now facing raps for illegally moonlighting as escorts for a Korean businessman in Pasay City and one of the motorcycle-riding escorts even side-swept a taxi cab.
In a media interview, Fajardo disclosed that the problem was traced to some travel agencies that include in their package police escort service.
“Ang problema hindi naman authorized ang PNP na mag-escort o mag-detail sa mga travel agency, so we will track down on illegal escorts who are not PNP members. Kasi, unang-una yung paglalagay ng mga wang-wang sa mga motor bawal kung hindi yan police motorcycle (The problem is that the PNP is not authorized to escort or be detailed to the travel agencies, so we will track down on illegal escorts . First of all, the use of siren in motor vehicles is strictly prohibited if they are not police motorcycles),” Fajardo said.
He referred to the HPG report, which describes the police escort “hired” by travel agencies as willing victim because he is lured by earnings as high as PHP 5,000 per day.
According to the HPG, they will file charges for usurpation of authority and on the use or attachment of sirens, bells, horns, whistles, dome lights and other signaling or flashing devices on motor vehicles as outright prohibition pursuant to Presidential Decree (PD) 96.
HPG Regional Chief Police Supt. Jonathan Calixto presented to the PNP-HPG Director the confiscation of illegal attachment of LED lights, sirens, bells, horns, some commemorative plates from motorcycles and private cars, He also presented an arrested suspect for car theft in Lipa City, Batangas.
Fajardo also ordered his HPG personnel to end car thefts.
“Manhunt carnappers, that’s the secret, if you want ‘manhunt carnappers’, surely carnapping incident will go down. Dati kung nakakarekober tayo ng mga carnap, pinapalakpakan na tayo, Mali! Pagnakarekober tayo dun palang tayo magsisimula (In the past, if we could recover the carnap vehicles, we are applauded. That’s not right! (because) if we have recovered (carnap vehicles), that’s only the start). We will investigate deeper,” the HPG Chief urged.
He underscored that the manhunt drive for car thieves spares no one whether police or politician.
“We will look for the cause, the players and the mastermind and check the matrix. Lalaliman ko yung mastermind (we will dig deeper on the mastermind), we will not hit the players we will hit the mastermind, we will hit the financier and we will hit kung sino yung mga tumatawag (who ever calls). Lahat ng tatawag ilista sa matrix, pulis man yan o politician (all those who call have to be recorded in the matrix, whether police or politician),” Fajardo challenged. (Robert A. Maico/PNA)
