‘Who can’t swim?’ Dela Rosa to ‘rogue’ cops for Pasig cleanup

President Rodrigo Duterte (lower right corner) addresses 264 policemen who have allegedly committed offenses while in uniform. Director General Ronald Dela Rosa escorted the policemen to Malacañang Tuesday afternoon purportedly to clean up the Pasig River. NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.NET

Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa escorted to Malacañang on Tuesday afternoon 264 allegedly erring policemen tasked to clean up the Pasig River.

Before leaving the police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Dela Rosa asked the policemen if they knew how to swim.

“Sinong hindi marunong lumangoy? Taas ang kamay!” the police chief said. (Who can’t swim? Raise your hand!)

“Mamaya kapag kayo nalunod sa Pasig River habang nangongolekta ng water lily poproblemahin ko pa kayo,” Dela Rosa shouted at the cops.  (If you later drown in the Pasig River while removing water hyacinths, you’d be my headache.)

A handful of lawmen raised their hands.

The officers, all from the different police districts in Metro Manila, denied having committed offenses.

“Hindi niyo alam na may kaso kayo? Wala kayong kaso? Hindi niyo alam na meron kayong ginawang hindi maganda?” Dela Rosa said. (You deny having offenses? You don’t know you committed irregularities?)

Photo by Julliane Love De Jesus / INQUIRER.net

The cops responded in chorus: “Wala, sir!” (We’re innocent, sir!)

Later in an ambush interview, a visibly irked Dela Rosa expressed frustration with the policemen.

“‘Yan ang mga pulis na meron tayo—nagde-deny. Tingnan n’yo ang record nila,” he said. (They’re the kind of policeman that we have—they deny wrongdoing. Look at their record.)

A total of 387 policemen were identified as offenders by the PNP headquarters. A total of 123 did not show up. Forty-eight were absent for various reasons, while 75 had reportedly gone absent without leave.

Of the 264 present, 84 were from Manila, 43 were from Quezon City, 64 were from the Southern Police District, 42 were from the Northern Police District and 31 were from the Eastern Police District. CBB/rga