Bato on cop nabbed for extortion: I could’ve smashed his head on the wall

Former police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. (File photo by GABRIEL PABICO LALU / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — If it were him, former police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa would have done worse than slapping and pulling the hair of a policeman arrested for alleged robbery-extortion in Pasig City.

Dela Rosa said this in light of how National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar reacted against an erring policeman, in which he drew criticizms from other sectors.

READ: Eleazar denies slapping, pulling hair of cop arrested for extortion

“Mabuti pa si Eleazar nakapagtimpi pa siya o pigil,” Dela Rosa, who is also seeking a Senate seat, said in an interview over ABS CBN News Channel.

“Baka ako hindi lang sabunot abutin sakin. Baka inuntog ko pa yung ulo non sa pader kung ako nandoon. Inuntog ko pa yung ulo sa pader nung g*go na yun,” he added.

READ: Eleazar to rogue cop: ‘Sorry, not sorry’

Dela Rosa explained that Eleazar’s reaction was just the outcome of his “frustration” against dishonest policemen who still remain in the police force.

“Sign of frustration yun. Frustrated ka na na despite all the things na ginawa ng ating gobyerno, ng ating PNP (Philippine National Police), sa inyo, ganun pa rin ang ginagawa ninyo?” he said.

“‘Yung instant reaction na ‘yon ni Eleazar being a commander, ‘yung frustration mo nangingibabaw kaysa sa composure,” he added.

The former police chief said that there are still internal disciplinary mechanisms in place of the PNP that handles the cases of rogue policemen.

“After that, mayroong kaso yun, dismissed yun. Marami tayong internal disciplary mechanism pero it will take time nga talaga and due process pa rin,” he said. /jpv