A video posted on Facebook (FB) and YouTube claims that Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil has been dismissed from his post. This is not true. Marbil remains in office.
Uploaded on Feb. 27, the video’s headline read:
“KARMA na! NagkaLag-Lagan na? DILG at REMULLA may Ibinunyag sa Media! Marbil Pi nataL sek nasa PNP (Karma now! Betrayed each other? DILG and Remulla exposed something to the media! Marbil dismissed from PNP)?”
Marbil still heads the national police. There has been no pronouncement from Malacañang that he has been sacked from his post.
The erroneous video merely played a clip of a previously fact-checked vlogger criticizing Marbil’s reported use of the busway, a lane on Edsa exclusively for buses. It emerged a week after a convoy supposedly assigned to the PNP chief was apprehended for using the special lane near Ortigas Avenue.
Marbil refused to confirm if he was in the convoy of vehicles that used the busway but said senior police officials had to use the special lane in a rush to an emergency meeting in Camp Crame. He also argued that the police have the right to use the busway in emergency cases.
Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a Feb. 27 statement that emergency meetings do not qualify for the emergency use of the Edsa busway.
Aside from authorized Edsa carousel buses, also allowed to use the Edsa busway are ambulances, fire trucks, police and service vehicles used in the performance of duties, according to the Department of Transportation.
The president, vice president, Senate president, House speaker and chief justice are also allowed use of the busway.
Uploaded by YouTube channel PINAS NEWS INSIDER, the video received 198,171 interactions. FB page Raffy Tolfo Nation News (created March 22, 2023 as SART Gaming) also uploaded the clip, which garnered 5,105 views.
