Bato: No abusive cops in fight vs ‘state of lawless violence’

Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald “Bato’ dela Rosa INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan — Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said on Monday (Sept. 5) no police officer would abuse his or her authority in the security measures designed and applied to counter the “state of lawless violence.”

President Duterte declared a state of lawlessness or a state of lawless violence hours after the Sept. 2 (Friday) bombing of a night market in Davao City, killing 14 people and injuring 70 others.

“Under my watch, malayong malayong mangyari iyang pang-aabuso ng pulis, malayong malayo po sa martial law ang state of lawless violence, hindi mag-a-abuso ang ating kapulisan (Under my watch, police abuses are very, very unlikely to take place. A state of lawless violence is not Martial Law. The police would not abuse its power),” he said.

He said the declaration placed the police on heightened alert, and has required police officers to be visible in areas considered to be high impact targets, such as church, malls, and terminals which draw a huge number of people.

Dela Rosa visited Bulacan to inaugurate a rehabilitation and livelihood training center inside the Bulacan police headquarters. The center is currently serving 24 female drug users from different towns who surrendered to the police.

Dela Rosa said he was surprised to meet a 75-year old woman among the center’s clients.

He said the youngest drug abusers he encountered in the course of the government’s anti-drug campaign were aged between 12 and 14 years old.

Dela Rosa proceeded here after a visit to Camp Olivas in Pampanga.  SFM