Cops breaking Noy’s policy vs wang-wang – lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday of violating President Aquino’s policy against the unauthorized use of wang-wang (sirens) by assigning motorcycle policemen-escorts to certain politicians, including mayors and senators, and Cabinet members.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said he knows for a fact that several senators and Cabinet members are roaming the city escorted by motorcycle-riding uniformed policemen because he has seen them.

He said senators other than the Senate president and members of the Cabinet are not supposed to be entitled to police escorts.

It is only the President, Vice President, Senate president, and Speaker of the House of Representatives who should be given police escorts, he added.

Albano noted that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has not been availing himself of such a privilege, and while Aquino travels with motorcycle escorts, the latter are prohibited from using their sirens.

Albano, a member of the Commission on Appointments, pointed out that by assigning escorts to politicians and Cabinet members, the PNP is effectively violating Aquino’s anti-wang-wang policy.

“The recipients of the special entitlement are violators, too,” he said.