Duterte ‘not surprised’ some crimes happen with participation of cops

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said he is no longer surprised by the fact that some crimes would not be possible without the participation of some police officers, recalling how policemen became his “headache” when he served as mayor in Davao City.

“In my experience as a local official, meron talaga, in an organization, may talagang scalawags and dito sa atin, because they are empowered to enforce the law, that would make them really very easy to commit crimes kung nagkaloko-loko yung panahon,” Duterte said during his Talk to the People address, the second part of which was aired on Wednesday.

(In my experience as a local official, there really are scalawags in an organization. In our case, because they are empowered to enforce the law, that would make it very easy to commit crimes.)

“I’m not surprised..na may mga krimen na hindi pwedeng mangyari kung walang participation ng pulis,” he added.

(I’m not surprised…that there are crimes that can’t happen without the participation of the police.)

Before this, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos updated the President regarding the status of several police officers earlier tagged as suspects in the case of a missing e-sabong agent from Laguna.

Carlos said these policemen are now placed in the holding unit of Camp Crame.

READ: PNP: Cops linked to disappearance of ‘e-sabong’ agents under probe, relieved

“I’m not saying that yung pulis na were named in the congressional investigations..that would be too early. But in the past, if we go into the hindsight of things, nasabi ko na noon, na problematic talaga itong pulis, sa karaming tao na i-supervise mo…meron talagang mga g*go,” Duterte went on.

(I’m not saying that the police names in the congressional investigation are involved…that would be too early. But in the past, if we go into the hindsight of things, I’ve said it before, the police are problematic, you have a lot of people to supervise, there are really those who are foolish.)

“Alam ko talaga na because they are vested with the authority to enforce the law, hindi nakapagtataka kung bakit ganun sila,” he added.

(I really know that because they are vested with the authority to enforce the law, it’s not surprising that some of them are that way)

He recalled his time as Davao City mayor when he would prohibit the police under his jurisdiction from drinking to prevent them from committing wrongdoings.

“Ako noon ang sakit ng ulo sa akin nung mayor ako, yung police. Araw-araw yan, kung hindi magbugbog ng asawa, magpaputok ng baril. Kaya ako…pinagbawalan ko talaga yang pulis maginom. Hindi lang diyan sa labas, talagang sinasabi ko sa kanila ‘wag kayong maginom, wag kayong maamoy kong lasing kayo kasi magkakadiperensya talaga tayo,’” Duterte said.

(For me, when I was mayor, these policemen were a headache for me. Daily, aside from battering their wives, they are also shooting indiscriminately. That’s why I barred the police from drinking. Not only in public, I really told them ‘Don’t drink, don’t let me smell alcohol on you because we will have a problem.)

“‘Since you are under my supervision,’ that’s according to the law, sabi ko ‘kung ganun kayo, maginuman, lalo na kung nakauniporme, bawal talaga, sabi ko ‘wag kayong maginom, kasi pag naginom kayo iba na yung…sa ulo e’,” he added.

(‘Since you are under my supervision,’ that’s according to the law, I said ‘If you drink, especially while in uniform because that’s really prohibited, don’t drink because if you do, it will affect your thinking.)

Nevertheless, Duterte told the public that the country has a “good” police force “by and large.”

“But by and large…we have a good police in our country,” the President said.

“Kung tanungin mo ako, problematic, pero kakaunti lang yang, mga 250 something ‘yan, so may mga g*go talaga diyan,” he added.

(If you were to ask me, it’s problematic, but they’re only a few, around 250 or something, some are really foolish.)

JPV