Incoming PNP chief vows ‘violent’ crackdown on drug lords

DAVAO CITY – The incoming head of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Chief Supt. Ronald Dela Rosa, on Tuesday vowed a violent crackdown on drug lords and criminals and if they resist arrest.

Dela Rosa also warned criminals that they will feel the full force of the law.

“Upakan lahat ng mga drug lords at mga kriminal,” Dela Rosa said upon arriving at the presidential guest house at the backyard of the Department of Public Works and Highways where Duterte was holding his first Cabinet meeting in the so-called “Malacañang of the South.”

Dela Rosa said that it should be the criminals who should be killed and not the police officers when the anti-crime campaign of the incoming Duterte administration is enforced.

Asked what he meant by violent crackdown, Dela Rosa said: “It can be physical. It can be… Alam niyo naman yun. Bahala na.”

Dela Rosa clarified that the police would not resort to extrajudicial killings of drug lords and dangerous criminals.

Dressed casually in t-shirt, Dela Rosa attended Duterte’s Cabinet meeting here. He said the PNP would launch its operational procedures in implementing the full force of the law against criminals when the new administration takes over.

Asked how he would treat criminals, Dela Rosa said the police would first “knock and plead” to criminals to surrender or feel the full force of the law.

“Magmamakaawa ka na. Please, please kilala na namin kayo sa droga, please, huminto na kayo. Kasi kung hindi kayo huminto kawawa kayo,” he said.

“Kung matigas ulo nila, we will apply the full force of the law. Talagang makakatikim sila kung ano ang dapat tikman nila,” he added.

Dela Rosa served as Davao City police chief from 2011 to 2013 and is a member of Class 1986 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

While he was Davao City police chief, he implemented the Oplan Tukhang (Tuktok-Hangyo), which mandated police to knock on doors of suspected drug lords and plead that they stop their illegal trade./rga/AC