Philippine Cop Fired for Cutting off President Convoy
Philippine authorities have sacked a policeman who tried to cut in front of a vehicle carrying President Benigno Aquino in a motorcade, officials said Tuesday.
Presidential guards took officer Ricardo Pascua into custody and turned him over to his superiors who fired him after the incident in a Manila suburb on Monday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
Aquino was returning from an official function when the policeman, driving a van, tried to make a U-turn, cutting into the path of the president's vehicle despite the convoy's motorcycle escorts warning him to stop.
"The policeman was quite arrogant in insisting that he be allowed to do a U-turn. In fact, we understand that he even showed his badge to the motorcycle cops who were escorting the convoy," said Lacierda.
The head of the presidential security group, Brigadier General Ramon Mateo, said he did not know why the policeman would try to barge into the motorcade's path, saying he should have known better.
Aquino, in a show of modesty, previously ordered his presidential convoys not to use sirens to warn other vehicles to move out of the way.
But Mateo said the motorcade still had flashing lights, which would have alerted the police officer.
Source: Agence France Presse
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