PNP custodial execs sacked over JPE hospital party

MANILA, Philippines - Two police officials were relieved yesterday for allowing detained Senators. Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada – who claimed to be in need of immediate medical assistance – to attend the birthday party of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City last Valentine’s Day.

Relieved were Chief Suprintendent Albert Supapo, chief of the PNP Headquarters Support Service (HSS), and Senior Inspector Celina Tapaoan, officer on duty at the time of the alleged side trip of Revilla and Estrada from the hospital emergency room to the party area, where Enrile was celebrating his 91st birthday.

Estrada and Revilla, both facing plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam, are detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame. Enrile is also facing plunder charges due to the pork barrel scam and is under hospital arrest at the PNP hospital.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II said both Supapo and Tapaoan, who were tasked to ensure the compliance of the detained senators with the PNP’s rules and regulations, would face sanctions commensurate to their negligence.

“I have ordered an investigation on the incident where detained individuals were able to attend a birthday party. In the course of the investigation, there were apparent violations of the rules of the PNP,” Roxas explained.

He said Supapo would be replaced by Senior  Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, who will be designated as officer-in-charge.

The detainees were supposed to be in need of immediate medical attention and were taken to the hospital, but the doctor supposedly could not be found at the emergency room, thus they had to look for him somewhere else.

However, Chief Inspector Raymond Santos, chief of the emergency division of the hospital and duty doctor at the emergency room at the time, said he did not leave the area the whole day. He also said that he did not see the detainees seek medical assistance there.

Revilla was brought to the PNP General Hospital at 4:28 p.m. last Feb. 14 to undergo an emergency check-up. He was escorted by the officer of the day and one security escort.