Bato tells new cops: ‘Get ready to kill and be killed’

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa delivers a message during the mass oath-taking of 642 new policemen and women at Camp Crame on Wednesday afternoon. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

On their first day as cops, newly graduated police recruits were challenged by their chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to prepare themselves to kill and be killed while performing their duty to “serve and protect the people.”

A total of 642 new policemen and women, all wearing white and sporting either shaved head or short hair, lined up in front of Dela Rosa as he delivered a speech during their mass oath-taking at Camp Crame on Wednesday afternoon.

“In the process of serving and protecting the people, kung kinakailangang kayo ay pumatay o kayo ay magpakamatay, dapat kaya mong gawin ‘yan. Is that clear? Ayokong marinig na hindi ko trabaho yan, is that clear?” Dela Rosa said, the cops responded with a resounding: “Sir, yes, sir!”

After the ceremony, Dela Rosa held a press conference and there he clarified his challenge for the rookie cops.

He said that as policemen, they should be ready to kill people to protect themselves and the public “in the spirit of self-defense.”

But Dela Rosa clarified that cops should not kill without a valid reason.

“Dapat ready ka. We are dealing with lives. Kung ma-delikado ‘yung buhay mo at delikado yung buhay ng prinoprotektahan mo na strangers, you know what to do. It’s all in the spirit of self-defense. Hindi ‘yung pumatay ka na patayin mo na walang rason,” he said.

Dela Rosa said the 160,000-strong police force is recruiting 3,000 more policemen in the coming months.

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