PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—“Are you willing to kill?”
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Friday issued this challenge to policemen in Western Visayas.
A day after he urged suspected drug users and pushers in Bacolod City to go to the houses of drug lords, douse them with gasoline and burn them, Dela Rosa said most important in the war against illegal drugs was the readiness to kill.
READ: Dela Rosa to former drug users: ‘Burn down houses of drug lords’
“Don’t get killed. You need to be alive,” he said in a speech before policemen, officials and other guests during the commemoration of the 115th PNP anniversary at the regional police headquarters at Camp Martin Delgado here.
He also lambasted the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) by telling policemen to stay alive because he said the CHR will not feed and send their children to school if they die.
The PNP has come under fire from Church groups, human rights advocates, lawyers and other groups in the country and abroad due to the spate of killings related to the government’s massive crackdown on illegal drugs.
Dela Rosa said in his speech in Iloilo City that he was carried away by his emotions during his speech in Bacolod City after he saw the suspected pushers and users who had surrendered to authorities.
“They look like zombies,” he said.
The ceremony was attended by officials led by Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor, at least 48 mayors, a vice governor and representatives of four other mayors.
Dela Rosa said this was the most number of mayors who have attended similar ceremonies in other regional police offices he had visited.
Among the mayors that Dela Rosa acknowledged were Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Mayor Salagunting Betita of Carles town in Iloilo who were among the officials named by President Rodrigo Duterte as involved in illegal drugs.
READ: Rody names politicians, judges, cops allegedly into illegal drugs
Mabilog and Betita have repeatedly denied the allegation and asked Dela Rosa and the Department of Interior and Local Government to have themselves investigated. RAM/rga