Solons chide Bato for punishing cops with push-ups, river cleanup
PNP Chief Police Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa expressed his disappointment and anger to the seven Pampanga cops allegedly involved in the robbery-extortion of three Korean nationals last December as he faced them at Angeles City Police Office at Camp Tomas Pepito in Pampanga on February 1, 2017. PHOTO FROM PNP PIO
Opposition solons in the House of Representatives chided Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa for punishing rogue cops with push-ups and a river cleanup.
In a press briefing at the lower House on Tuesday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said errant cops should be prosecuted instead of being subjected to doing push-ups or retraining.
Lagman lamented that errant police are treated with “kid’s gloves.”
“Huwag lang investigation. Ituloy sa prosecution, ituloy sa conviction. Huwag push-up lamang or retraining,” Lagman said.
(Let’s push through with prosecution, conviction, not just investigation, not just push-ups or retraining.)
Article continues after this advertisementCaloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said the police themselves were committing crimes because they were emboldened by President Rodrigo Duterte himself, who earlier vowed to absolve police of any crimes as long as it is in their line of duty to crack down on drug pushers and users.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Duterte urged to take back ‘policy’ of absolving cops
“Itong mga pag-abuso ng pulis, ito ay epekto ng existing policy on the war on drugs,” Erice said, adding that he believes that the masked vigilantes who summarily kill drug criminals are police themselves.
(The abuses by the police are an effect of the existing policy on the war of drugs.)
Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza quipped that making the police do push-ups as punishment only served to benefit the police by making them physically fit.
“Parang binigyan mo pa nang gantimpala para maging physically fit kayo,” Daza said.
(It’s like you only rewarded them by making them physically fit.)
On Tuesday, Dela Rosa brought 264 cops accused of committing offenses to Malacañang to face Duterte himself, who berated the cops and threatened to send them to Basilan.
The errant cops were also tasked to clean the Pasig River as punishment.
READ: ‘Who can’t swim?’ Dela Rosa to ‘rogue’ cops for Pasig cleanup
Dela Rosa also went to Angeles City, Pampanga last Wednesday to berate seven police officers accused of robbery-extortion against Korean nationals. These cops who were relieved of their posts were made to do push-ups as punishment.
READ: Bato slams cops in extortion of Koreans: You joined PNP to be syndicates?
Dela Rosa has long been criticized for his gimmicks before the media, following the killing by a rogue cop of Korean national Jee Ick-joo at the grounds of the PNP headquarters.
The Korean national was strangled in a car just parked near the building where Dela Rosa holds office, rousing criticisms against Dela Rosa over a murder that happened under his nose. JE/rga
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