The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) apologized Tuesday for the leak of the video that showed veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez moments after his death in December.
QCPD chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan acknowledged the lapses committed by a member of the force who “inappropriately” took a video of the operation which made the rounds of social media.
“We acknowledge the gravity of this lapse in judgment of some of our personnel, and we deeply regret any distress this may have caused,” he said in a statement.
On Monday, Valdez’s son, singer and actor Janno Gibbs, demanded a public apology from the police over the video blunder, which also led to the leak of sensitive information, like the family’s home address.
Maranan assured all involved officers would face appropriate administrative charges.
Five police officers will face a range of administrative charges, including neglect of duty; grave irregularity in the performance of duty; grave misconduct pursuant to Republic Act Nos. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) and 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012); conduct unbecoming of a police officer; and grave misconduct in relation to Presidential Decree 1829 (obstruction of justice), with dismissal from the service as the maximum penalty.
Maranan said cases for violation of Data Privacy and Cybercrime Prevention Acts will likewise be initiated against civilians responsible for the dissemination of the video.
“We assure you that such incidents will not be tolerated, and we are implementing stricter measures to prevent their recurrence,” Maranan said.
He urged the Gibbs family to file criminal cases against those involved in the dissemination of the video.
Valdez was found dead in his house in New Manila on Dec. 17, 2023. He was 76.
