Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on November 25, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Philippine National Police on Sunday said that the cases it had filed against Vice President Sara Duterte and others were "not politically motivated" but an exercise of its constitutional mandate to uphold the rule of law.

A police doctor on Wednesday filed a complaint against Duterte, the head of her security detail, and others over an incident at Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

The complaint accuses Duterte, her security head Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, and others of unlawful acts related to the alleged assault, disobedience, and coercion that occurred during the transfer of her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez to VMMC from House of Representatives Detention Center last weekend. 

The police claimed Duterte’s security detail assisted in the "forced transfer" of Lopez from the VMMC to the St. Luke’s Medical Center using a private ambulance.

Duterte has said she also plans to file criminal complaints against police officers involved in Lopez's transfer last weekend.

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Police Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, PNP chief, in a statement said that the police force is "committed to its mandate to enforce the law without fear or favor." 

He said the filing of cases against any individual regardless of their status or political affiliation is a reflection of its duty to the Constitution and the public. 

'WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY IF WE DO NOT FILE?'

"If we do not file cases against those accused, what will people say? Takot ang pulis, pangmahirap lang ang pangil ng batas (The police are afraid and the law only has teeth against the poor). We cannot allow such perceptions to take root," he said.

"Our duty is to apply the law to everyone, regardless of their standing, because justice is not selective," he said.

"Our laws must be observed, obeyed, and upheld. This is our sworn duty as law enforcers. It is not about politics, but about ensuring accountability under the legal framework we all agreed to as a democratic society."

The Philippine National Police said on Thursday it welcomed Duterte's plan to file complaints against police officers for alleged disobedience, robbery, and kidnapping.

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'INACTION UNDERMINES TRUST'

The PNP chief also stressed that inaction or selective application of the law could undermine public trust.

He cited as an example the criticisms against the anti-drug crackdown of the previous administration, "where victims were perceived to be predominantly from the poor."

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"We refuse to let history repeat itself. The PNP is committed to protecting all sectors of society without bias or prejudice," he said, assuring that legal mechanisms are in place to ensure fairness.

"It is this principle that guides us in our work," Marbil also said, referring to the legal maxim, dura lex, sed lex, a Latin phrase that means 'the law may be harsh, but it is the law'."

"Let us all remember that the rule of law is the foundation of a just and peaceful society. As the guardians of public safety, we remain committed to this principle for the benefit of the Filipino people."

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