MAYOR Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. on Saturday has ordered the relief of all personnel in Station 5 in Angeles City in relation to a ‘prank video’ posted on the social media page of ‘SY Music Entertainment’ last Friday.
Shown in the video are alleged uniformed police officers of Station 5, arresting an individual using an official vehicle from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The said uniformed personnel participating were also heard identifying themselves as being from Police Station 5.
The video which was later revealed as a prank in observance of April Fool’s Day has gained over 1 million views; 17,000 reactions; and 6,100 comments at the time of writing. It was uploaded on the Facebook page of SY Music Entertainment.
In his Memorandum No.621 Series of 2021, Mayor Lazatin ordered Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) City Director PCol. Rommel Batangan to relieve all personnel from PNP Station 5 effective immediately and to conduct an investigation on all PNP personnel involved in the alleged ‘pranking incident’ and file administration charges, and violation of quarantine protocols including not wearing of face-masks; non-observance of social distancing protocols; and violation of the prohibition of mass gatherings.
“These actions are disadvantageous to the best interest of the government as it not only makes use of government property for a senseless ‘prank’ but also undermines the efforts of the entire Local Government Unit to implement public health protocols,” Lazatin said in his memorandum.
“This is not the kind of conduct that the public expects from their police officers,” it added.
In a related development, Mayor Lazatin also ordered Business Permit and Licensing Division (BPLD) head Evangeline Malonzo to close down SY Music Entertainment and suspend their permit to operate due to the following violations: not wearing of face masks; non-observance of social distancing protocols; and violation of the prohibition on mass gatherings, through his released Memorandum No. 623.