By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Wednesday defended the police’s right to use the EDSA busway during an emergency.
Marbil made the remark as he neither confirmed nor denied reports that he was the ranking police official onboard one of the white vans in the convoy apprehended by the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) for passing through the EDSA bus lane on Tuesday night.
Marbil said there was an emergency meeting of top police officials with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla before the convoy was stopped at the EDSA busway.
“There’s an emergency meeting and there’s this issue, which the SILG (Remulla) will announce, regarding an accomplishment last night and which required the presence of higher ups to attend the close door meeting on the operation last night,” Marbil in a radio interview.
According to the SAICT report, the convoy, composed of two sports utility vehicles and Highway Patrol Group (HPG) motorcycles, used the northbound EDSA busway in the Ortigas area.
In a video, one of the cops was quoted saying that they were with the PNP chief.
In a phone interview with Camp Crame reporters, Marbil said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has a guideline that the PNP vehicles can use the EDSA bus lane “in case of emergency, national issues.”
“And that’s on duty and that is an emergency that we have to call dahil meron po kaming (because we have) operation last night,” Marbil said.
Marbil also said he was displeased by the unauthorized release of the license plates of the vehicles in the police convoy.
“There’s no need for you to announce to everybody kung sino nahuli mo (who you apprehended). It’s privacy you have to respect. You don’t show ‘yung mga (the) plate numbers remember kaya nga may (that’s there is) protection, you have [to] protect people’s lives,” Marbil said.
“Maybe that one issue we have to tackle,” he added.
In a press conference held at Camp Crame, PNP public information chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said the police force is eyeing talks with the DOTr and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to discuss exemptions over the EDSA busway.
“Since 24 hours ang trabaho ng pulis at kung ito ay emergency, baka sakali mapagbigyang gumamit ng bus lane (Since the police work 24 hours and if it’s an emergency, they might be allowed to use the bus lane),” Tuaño said.
Aside from city buses, only emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks, and convoys of the President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker and Chief Justice are authorized to use the EDSA busway. (PNA)
