Bato warns ‘extortionist cops’: You’ll be hung upside down
Cops taking advantage of the police’s anti-drug war to extort from individuals, including drug lords and pushers, will be hung upside down.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa issued this warning after President Rodrigo Duterte himself lashed out at Makati policemen who allegedly extorted from a tourist.
He said he will hang upside down cops who will use the PNP’s anti-drug campaign to scare and extort from drug lords and pushers.
“I would like to take this opportunity to make an appeal to the public. Just in case merong mga pulis dyan na ginagamit ‘yung ating war on drugs sa pangongotong (there are cops out there using our war on drugs to extort), please tell us right away at bibitayin ko ng patiwarik ‘yang mga pulis na ‘yan (and I will hang them upside down),” Dela Rosa said in a press conference at Camp Crame.
“Pakisabi lang sa akin. Kahit kayo ay drug lord, pusher, kapag kayo ay kinokotongan ng mga pulis, magreport kayo sa akin at may tama sa akin ‘yang mga pulis na ‘yan,” he said.
(Please let me know. Even if you are a drug lord, pusher, if you are extorted by police, report to me and those cops will have it.)
READ: Cop cited by Duterte in extortion on Singaporean relieved, probed – NCRPO
But Dela Rosa warned the drug personalities that if their complaints against the cops would be proven false, they will also be punished.
“Pero kapag ‘yung report ninyo hindi totoo dahil gusto niyong resbakan ‘yung pulis, yung mga drug lord at pusher na nagreport, may tama rin kayo sa akin,” he said.
“Sana magtulungan tayo para mahinto yung corruption sa ating kapulisan. Hindi natin yan tinotolerate,” Dela Rosa said.
(If what you give are false reports for the sake of getting back at the police, then you, drug lords and pushers, will also hear from me.
(Let’s cooperate to put an end to corruption among the police. We won’t tolerate that.)
Dela Rosa on Wednesday said he ordered all five Makati policemen transferred to Jolo, Sulu after an alleged extortion attempt on a Singaporean tourist. The Makati cops however denied asking bribe money from the foreigner, saying it was a retired police major who actually extorted from the victim. CDG/rga
