Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) — The police officer who claimed in a viral video that the closure of a section of Commonwealth Avenue was for Vice President Sara Duterte’s convoy was relieved from his post and is being probed for possible administrative liability, the Quezon City Police District confirmed on Thursday.
A statement from Station 14 of the Quezon City Police District said the officer identified as PSgt. Pantallano stopped traffic for a few minutes “because of misleading information he overheard.”
“I have ordered the relief of my policeman and put him under investigation to determine administrative liability for his actions,” said station commander PLtCol. May Genio. “We assure the public that this incident will not happen again.”
A netizen who was taking the video asked Pantallano the reason why vehicles were not allowed to pass.
“May dadaan po tayong VIP [We have a VIP passing through],” the policeman was heard saying. When the netizen asked who it was, Pantallano said “si VP.” The netizen asked “VP Sara?” to which the cop answered “oo [yes].”
Among those who shared the video was former Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño, whose post on X (formerly Twitter) has gotten 1.4 million views.
“The said incident stemmed from a confusion and lapse in judgement of our policeman manning the traffic during that time,” the statement from QCPD Station 14 stated.
“It appears that our policeman overreacted when he stopped the traffic for a few minutes, because of misleading information he overheard,” it also said, adding that the vice president had no engagement in the area.
The statement also quoted Pantallano’s apology.
“Ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin sa aking maling nagawa,” he said. “Patawarin nyo po ako, at akala ko po talaga may dadaan na VIP.”
[Translation: I am asking for forgiveness over what I did. Please forgive me, I really believed a VIP would be passing.]
In a separate statement, Duterte said that neither she nor her office made a request to the QCPD.
“The claims in the video are not only misleading, but false,” she said.
Duterte called on the QCPD to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
She also said the police officer involved as well as the QCPD district director should apologize.
A statement from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) clarified that Duterte was in MIndanao and was not in any way involved in the incident.
“The Vice President did not ask QCPD and will never ask government agencies, including law enforcement bodies, to carry out actions that would inconvenience the public or cause them harm,” the OVP statement said.
The same statement said apart from resolving the matter, the QCPD is expected to publicly disclose the VIP behind the road closure.
