Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato’ dela Rosa
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Saturday said there is no need for Philippine National Police chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, to resign despite the kidnapping of a Korean businessman allegedly by rogue policemen who killed their victim inside the national police camp.
The two senators differed from the opinion of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who had urged Dela Rosa to resign after the grisly murder “right under his nose.”
Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was abducted at his Angeles City home on Oct. 18 last year and was strangled inside a car parked near the PNP headquarters building in Camp Crame where Dela Rosa holds office. The kidnappers extorted a P5-million ransom from Jee’s wife on Oct. 31, nearly two weeks after he was kidnapped, killed and cremated.
Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, has called for an inquiry into the “tokhang for ransom” case.
Gauging leadership failures
Alvarez, who is among the administration’s top allies in Congress, said Dela Rosa should save President Duterte “from further embarrassment” by stepping down.
Pimentel said “different people have different standards” for gauging leadership failures.
“For the Speaker, his line has been crossed. Hence, we respect his opinion on the matter. For me, the killing of the Korean has been solved, hence, why punish Bato with termination?” Pimentel said.
“Let’s call for his resignation if he fails to act and solve even some of the unexplained killings happening all over the country,” he said.
What would be disappointing is if “our police are clueless on how to solve crimes.”
Lacson, a former PNP chief, has criticized the PNP for its “slow” and “soft” action on SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the antidrug operative tagged as the chief suspect in the case. Sta. Isabel has been arrested and is in police custody.
Lacson said on Saturday that Dela Rosa ought to be given the chance to bounce back but the PNP chief should avoid nonessential activities and focus on his tasks as the country’s top cop.
“With due respect to those who call for Dela Rosa’s resignation, being a former superior who knows him quite well, I would rather give him time to recover, refocus his priorities, shun work unrelated activities and start thinking PNP 24/7,” Lacson said.
No longer the same man
Lacson noted that Dela Rosa, known for his jolly public demeanor, no longer seemed the man he used to be since taking over the helm of the national police.
“I myself have wondered, even months back, what happened to the Ronald dela Rosa that I used to know—unassuming and humble, who would quietly accomplish practically every assigned task I gave him,” Lacson said.
He said Dela Rosa, who turned 55 on Saturday, had exactly a year “to be what he used to be” as he is retiring in 2018.
Lacson said he has repeatedly reminded Dela Rosa, in their encounters in the Senate and in private conversation “to address the PNP internal discipline by showing no mercy on rogue police officers.”
“I’m quite sure he knows how to handle internal cleansing. He was one of my key officers at the forefront of our no-nonsense effort at that time,” Lacson said.
Dela Rosa had drawn flak for watching a concert of American singer-songwriter Bryan Adams on Tuesday when public attention on the kidnap-murder case was at its height.
The PNP chief, however, dismissed the criticisms.
“Matagal nang patay ang biktima noong nanood ako ng concert. Mabuhay ba ang Koreano kung hindi ako manood?” Dela Rosa said.
(The victim was long dead when I watched the concert. Will he come back to life if I did not watch it?)
“Na-solve naman ang kaso. Nahuli na iyong mastermind. Identified na iyong iba na hindi pa nahuli at pinaghahanap na natin,” Dela Rosa said.
(The case is already solved. The mastermind was already caught and we already identified others involved and we are currently looking for them.)
PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said on Saturday that Dela Rosa will step down if ordered by President Duterte.
He likened calls for the PNP chief to resign to cutting off a man’s head to treat a sore finger. —WITH A REPORT FROM ED MARGARETH BARAHAN/rga