Lacson tells senators: Go easy on cops in drug killings inquiry
Senator Panfilo Lacson. SCREENGRAB FROM INQUIRER.NET VIDEO
Go easy on police officials who will be facing the Senate inquiry on extrajudicial killings, Senator Panfilo Lacson urged his colleagues.
“Ang caution ko lang, hinay-hinay lang sa pagtrato sa Philippine National Police when they attend that hearing. Kasi nga baka malagay sila sa, alam mo ang spectacle ng baka may media coverage and so forth,” Lacson said in an ambush interview at Camp Crame on Monday morning.
(I caution them to go easy on the treatment of the Philippine National Police when they attend that hearing. They might be put on a spectacle since there may be media coverage and so forth.)
Lacson was a guest speaker at the Camp Crame flag ceremony during the ceremonial turnover of donations between the PNP and PNP Foundation Inc. (PNPFI).
The former police chief said he does not want the PNP to be demoralized as it would ruin the momentum in its “bold and dramatic” fight against drugs.
“Ayokong malagay sa alanganin ang ating kapulisan, ma-demoralize sila, (at) masira ang momentum (I don’t want the police force to be put into uncertainty, or them to be demoralized and break their momentum),” Lacson said.
PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” De la Rosa and other top PNP officials have been summoned to the two-day Senate probe on the recent spate of summary killings from August 22 to August 23.
At the same time, Lacson advised the PNP officials not to panic and to keep their cool when the senators grill them during the hearing.
“They should just keep their cool. Kasi pag nag-panic sila roon, mahirap na (Because if they panic, it will be difficult for them). Anything can happen. And basta they should stick to their original mission. But they should stay focused. And they cannot perjure themselves when they appear before the senators,” he said.
“They should really be careful in answering questions but they should not also deviate from the truth,” Lacson added. JE/rga
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