TWO House leaders on Sunday praised Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil for his swift and uncompromising action against the Eastern Police District (EPD) leadership and its District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) following the arrest of eight police officers linked to an extortion and kidnapping case involving two Chinese nationals in Las Piñas City.

Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said Marbil’s move to have the officers jailed and their commander held accountable reflects a strong commitment to police reform and internal accountability under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

“This is exactly the kind of action the public has long demanded. Rogue police officers are not just being relieved. They’re being sent to jail,” Fernandez said.

“Gen. Marbil’s decision to relieve the EPD director and the entire DSOU reflects a no-nonsense application of command responsibility,” Fernandez added.

Barbers said the immediate filing of criminal charges and the relief of the entire unit are strong indications that internal reform within the PNP is being taken seriously.

“This is the kind of institutional response we need. Swift, direct, and with no excuses,” Barbers said.

He added that the officers acted like criminals and are being treated accordingly. “At the same time, their superiors are being held accountable. That’s what real command responsibility looks like,” he said.

Barbers and Fernandez are also the lead chair and co-chair, respectively, of the House Quad Comm. The panel has uncovered the involvement of certain police officers in illegal activities, including drug trafficking, extrajudicial killings, and the protection of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

The eight DSOU personnel—six staff sergeants, one corporal and one patrolman—were arrested on the night of April 5 for allegedly abducting and extorting two Chinese nationals in a staged operation.

They were presented for inquest that evening at the Las Piñas Prosecutor’s Office and are now detained at the city’s police custodial facility. A ninth suspect, a police major formerly assigned to the DSOU, remains at large.

Marbil also ordered the immediate relief of the EPD director and directed the PNP Internal Affairs Service and the National Capital Region Police Office to conduct a full and impartial investigation.

The PNP chief said there would be no second chances for officers who abuse their authority. He described the incident as a failure of leadership and warned that when discipline breaks down, it starts at the top.

Fernandez said the move should serve as a serious warning to all police commanders who fail to maintain discipline within their ranks.

“Let this be the turning point. We want a professional, reliable, and honest police force. If you cannot lead with integrity, then you do not belong in public service,” Fernandez said.

Barbers said he is confident that Marbil will continue applying the same accountability standards to other units facing similar issues of corruption and abuse.

“The war on drugs and the fight against syndicates begin with a clean police force. We fully support Gen. Marbil’s resolve. No fear. No favor,” Barbers said.

The two House leaders also expressed readiness to support any legislative or budgetary measures that would strengthen the PNP’s internal cleansing efforts and uphold the highest standards of ethical law enforcement.

“The Filipino people deserve a police force they can trust. One that enforces the law without abusing it and protects public safety without compromising integrity,” Fernandez said.

“Gen. Marbil is showing the country that such a vision is not only possible. It is already beginning,” Barbers added.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco