Dela Rosa accuses opposition of pushing ‘culture of impunity in PNP’ talks to discredit Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Saturday once again denied there is a culture of impunity in Philippine National Police (PNP) amid criticisms following the brutal killing of a woman and her son in the hand of a police officer in Tarlac.

According to Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, critics of the government are only using the term to draw anger toward the Duterte administration.

“Gusto lang nila, ng opposition, na gawan ng istorya iyang impunity para magalit ang taumbayan sa pangulo,” Dela Rosa said Saturday in a televised Laging Handa Public Briefing.

“Kung totoo iyan na may impunity bakit umabot nang 93% ang approval rating ng pangulo? Kalokohan iyan,” he added.

Police Staff Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shot dead at close range his neighbors Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank in Paniqui, Tarlac after a heated confrontation.

The shooting incident was captured on video and has gone viral on various social media platforms instigating fierce criticisms from the public against the Philippine National Police (PNP), which claimed that the incident was an isolated case.

Nuezca has since apologized for the killing, but he asked help regarding his case from his superiors for his family.

Dela Rosa, who was President Duterte’s first chief of police when he assumed office in 2016, previously said that no one is giving a command to “kill, kill, kill” in the police force.

“From the President down to  the lowest level of command, sino bang nagsasabi na patayin, patayin, patayin? Wala naman nagsasabi. You engage using your firearms kung the situation calls na kailangang gumamit ka ng armas,” the senator said in a recent television interview.

But in his public speeches, Duterte has been assuring cops of protection if they kill in the line of duty or when their lives are in danger.

The President has condemned the Tarlac killing and assured that he will not protect Nuezca, whom he called crazy.

EDV