‘Bato’ not to blame for murder of Korean, PNP tells critics

The killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo took place beside the building of the PNP’s police community relations group. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked critics calling for the resignation of police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa not to blame him for the mistakes of erring members of the police force.

Calls for Dela Rosa to resign on social media mounted after anti-illegal drugs cops brutally killed South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo under the official’s nose.

SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, along with two other cops, all assigned at the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG), strangled Jee to death inside his SUV parked few meters away from the office of Dela Rosa at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame last Oct. 18.

READ: Korean businessman killed inside SUV near PNP chief Bato’s office

“Every day, crime is happening so every day we’ll have a new PNP chief if that case is going to be their basis for the chief to resign,” PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos told the media in a press conference at Crame on Friday.

Carlos said it’s wrong for the public to blame Dela Rosa for failing to prevent a crime to be committed within the heavily-guarded police camp in Quezon City, adding Jee’s killing was “an isolated case.”

“You don’t judge the Chief for the wrong of one,” he said.

“You look at how dedicated he is and look what he’s done in the past six months. Alam kong maiintindihan ng taumbayan kasi ‘yung dedication niya and desire niya (I know the people will understand because his dedication and desire_ to free us from drugs and from rogue cops, makikita niyo sa expression ni (is very visible in the expressions of the) Chief so let’s not use that as a basis to call for his resignation,” Carlos added.

Upon learning that the killing was done within the national police headquarters, Dela Rosa said he just wanted to “melt in shame.”

READ: I want to melt in shame—Bato

Later, the PNP will take custody of Sta. Isabel after a Pampanga court issued an arrest warrant against him. The policeman surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation. IDL