Dela Rosa to police commanders: Defend your men

Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, PNP chief. (Photo by JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net)

Commanders should always take the side of their men and defend them amid criticisms hounding the police force, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said.

That is how a leader should be—the one who has the balls to take up the cudgels for his men, Dela Rosa said as he shared his personal experience about firmly defending cops in the middle of heavy criticisms against the activities of the PNP.

“We’ve been receiving flak, I don’t care. We’ve been criticized by other people, I don’t care. Basta kayong mga pulis ko, hindi ginagawa ‘yung mga alegasyon na sinasabi nila (As long as my men aren’t doing what they are being accused of), I’m willing to die for them,” Dela Rosa said during the oath-taking ceremony for six newly-promoted officials on Thursday.

“Dapat ang leader, may bayag. It doesn’t mean na porke kini-criticize tayo ng CHR (Commission on Human Rights), ng ibang pulitiko, pati ako i-criticize ko mga tao ko? Makikisabay ako? No, dahil alam kong firsthand walang ginagawang masama mga tao,” the police chief said.

(A leader should have balls. It doesn’t mean that just because the CHR and other politicians are criticizing us, I’ll also criticize my men? I’ll go along with them? No, because I know firsthand that my men aren’t doing anything wrong.)

Dela Rosa came under fire for defending his men in the Manila Police’s Raxabago station, saying that the lack of space in the station’s cell prompted the cops to transfer them to the “secret cell.”

READ: Bato defends cops, slams CHR over secret cell

Last week, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) discovered the narrow secret cell kept behind a bookshelf, with 11 inmates inside the cramped space. Some inmates claimed that they were being used by anti-drug cops as milking cows, asking money from them in exchange for their release.

READ: Drug suspects found in secret police cell

Senator Panfilo Lacson, Dela Rosa’s former boss when the senator led the PNP, called out Dela Rosa for his arrogance and for making excuses for the abuses of his men.

Dela Rosa said he respects the opinion of Lacson.

He also told the newly-promoted officials to take care of their men by also disciplining them.

“Disiplinahin natin ‘yung mga dapat disiplinahin at alagaan ang dapat alagaan,” he said.

(Let’s discipline those who need disciplining and take care of those who need care.)

“‘Wag kayong matakot na depensahan ‘yung ating mga tao kung alam niyo na ‘yung mga tao niyo ay walang ginagawang masama (Don’t be afraid to defend your men if you know they’re not doing anything wrong). That is the only way as leaders, as commanders, that we can repay the hardships nila sa serbisyo,” Dela Rosa added.  JE/rga