TRUE STATE OF THE COUNTRY’S PEACE AND ORDER: Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, presides over a public inquiry into the spate of kidnappings, disappearance, abuses and other types of crimes happening in the country. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Bato dela Rosa on Thursday told the Philippine National Police (PNP) not to allow foreigners to turn Metro Manila into a “criminal playing field.”
Dela Rosa made the call during a hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on the recent series of crimes involving foreign nationals.
“‘Wag tayo pumayag na gagawing nilang criminal playing field itong ating Metro Manila, hindi tayo ‘papayag na ganoon. Taga-ibang bansa sila pupunta dito para maghasik ng lagim,” said Dela Rosa, the chairman of the committee.
(Let’s not allow them to turn Metro Manila into a criminal playing field. We will not allow that. They are foreigners, and they go here to sow terror.)
“Ibig sabihin wala silang respeto sa batas, sa kapulisan, sa gobyerno? So ano pa? What do they deserve for doing that to us? They deserve the full force… to the full extent of the law,” he added.
(Does that imply they have no regard for authority figures like police officers or the government?
So what else? What do they deserve for doing that to us? They deserve the full force of the law.)
He urged the PNP to be more aggressive in arresting suspects.
“Wala tayong ibang aasahan, kayo ang national police, so please be aggressive,” Dela Rosa said.
(We have no one else to go to, you are the national police, so please be aggressive.)
However, he stressed that this does not entail resorting to violence. “You can be aggressive without being violative of the law. So be aggressive but not violative, please,” said the senator.
He also urged the people to alert police about kidnapping and abduction cases, regardless of the victims’ citizenship.
“We are encouraging that if you have information about human trafficking, slavery o talagang pinipigilan ang tao lumabas against their will, ‘pag meron kayo alam niyan please report that to the PNP (Philippine National Police) right away para maaksyunan ‘yan,” said Dela Rosa.
(We are encouraging that if you have information about human trafficking, slavery, or people who are being prevented from going out against their will if you have information about that, please report that to the PNP right away so that action can be taken.)
“Regardless kung Filipino man sila o Chinese whatever their nationality is, tao pa rin ‘yan kailangan natin i-save ang buhay nila (we still need to protect their lives because they are humans), we have to stop their misery,” he added.
Dela Rosa said this after a rise in crime rate was observed in the country involving foreign nationals.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Monday requested Philippine authorities to intensify efforts to protect its nationals amid a spike in cases of kidnappings involving Chinese victims.
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