PALACE VOWS TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE ERRING HPG, BOC PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN BULACAN CONFRONTATION

THE Palace on Tuesday assured the public that erring personnel involved in the Bulacan incident implicating officers and agents of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) would be held accountable.

“Nakausap natin mismo si General Nartatez at iyan ang isa sa kanilang tinitingnan dahil kung mayroon mang pang-aabuso nga diumano, kung mayroon man ay kinakailangan silang managot,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing on Tuesday.

“So, hindi hahayaan na ang mga tao na involved kung mayroon man silang kasalanan ay hindi mananagot. So, kailangan silang managot, kung dapat na matanggal sa posisyon ay dapat gawin,” she added.

Castro expressed confidence that the PNP and the BOC can effectively and fairly investigate those involved in the Santa Maria, Bulacan, incident.

The PNP, she said, is currently conducting an investigation, adding that HPG personnel were already relieved from their posts.

“Hindi hahayaan ng dalawang ahensiya na sa kanilang parehong panig ay magkaroon ng mga hindi kanais-nais na mga personnel,” she said. “So, kung mayroon man silang pagkakasala at mayroong pang-aabuso na naganap at nagawa dapat lamang nila itong panagutan,” Castro said.

It was reported that HPG officers barged into the BOC facility where smuggled cigarettes were destroyed. 

Thirteen HPG men, including their regional chief, were relieved of their posts  following the Aug. 19 incident in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.