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February 26, 2025 | 2:59pm
Composite photo shows Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police Chief General Rommel Marbil.
RTVM via YouTube / Philstar.com's screenshot; Philippine National Police
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil defended a police convoy flagged for using the EDSA busway, saying it was responding to an emergency.
However, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla clarified that he did not authorize the violation of traffic rules, if any.
In an interview with DZBB 594 on Wednesday, February 26, Marbil said the convoy was part of an important operation on Tuesday night.
He said that the police and Department of Transportation (DOTR) were simply “doing their job” and should be respected. If police officials need to use the bus lane for emergencies, he added, they should “just accept the ticket and not argue.”
“In case of emergency, just follow them, get the ticket, huwag nang mag-argue then explain na lang bakit natin ginamit. Lahat kami we are just doing our job,” Marbil said.
The DOTr’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) released the plate numbers of vehicles that entered the bus lane, but Marbil neither confirmed nor denied whether it did carry PNP officials.
He argued the numbers should not have been disclosed to protect the identities of individuals.
“We cannot tell because the plate number was publicized,” he said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo earlier said police officials are allowed to use the bus lane during emergencies.
She echoed Marbil’s remarks, saying a senior officer had to attend a closed-door meeting at Camp Crame.
“This PNP official, who was in the convoy, needed to pass through and use the carousel lane because his attendance was urgently required at Camp Crame,” Fajardo said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“We have no intention, so to speak, of feeling entitled to using this lane,” she added.
However, in a Wednesday press briefing, Remulla said he did not authorize Marbil to violate traffic rules, but confirmed that Marbil was aware of the operation that required an emergency meeting.
“He was aware of the operations. We were in constant communication. I asked him to appear,” Remulla said.
“So whatever his methodology was to get there, let me make it clear, I did not give instructions to violate any traffic laws to get there. But he was aware of the emergency,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
It remains unclear whether the meeting constituted an emergency that justified using the EDSA bus lane. Remulla also did not directly confirm whether it was related to a recent kidnapping case involving a Chinese student.
RELATED: Kidnapped Chinese student found; PNP says no ransom paid
“We have a firm agreement with the MMDA that there is a zero-tolerance policy. Now, in the case of General Marbil… it will be investigated as to whether it is an abuse of authority or not,” Remulla said.
However, he neither confirmed nor denied whether Marbil was in the convoy to Camp Crame, saying he “cannot answer” as he was not there.
