PNP Chief Ronald De La Rosa. EDWIN BACASMAS
ILOILO CITY—Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Friday said policemen should “fight until death” after visiting a police station in Iloilo raided by communist rebels.
He expressed disappointment that policemen of the Maasin municipal police station did not fire a shot when they were overran by at least 50 New People’s Army rebels in a daring broad daylight attack last Sunday.
The rebels took 15 firearms including 11 high-powered rifles, ammunition and radios after the 15-minute attack.
“(Our policemen) should be ready to die any time,” he told reporters in Maasin around noon after inspecting the police station adjacent to the municipal market.
Accompanied by officials of the Western Visayas police office, Dela Rosa also talked to the 24 policemen of Maasin who had been relieved from their post.
Dela Rosa said he did not “buy” the explanation of the nine policemen on duty during the raid that they were outnumbered.
“Why, can’t you not fire back even when you’re outnumbered?” Dela Rosa said.
“Basta lumaban sila. Dapat lumaban sila (They should and must fight back),” he said.
The raid at the Maasin police station was the first to have succeeded without policemen able to fight back since he assumed the top PNP post, according to Dela Rosa.
He said the police personnel previously assigned in Maasin should not only be relieved from their post but should face the appropriate charges if warranted as a lesson to other policemen.
The relieved policemen could also be sent to Marawi City to help in the fight against the Maute terror group, according to the top police official.
Dela Rosa said he was willing to help build a new police station in Maasin, noting that it has security weaknesses being located along the road.
While defenses of police stations should be beefed up, Dela Rosa police stations should not be “isolated” and remain accessible and “citizen-friendly.”
He called on Maasin residents to help the policemen by providing information noting that some of the rebels were in the area already hours before the attack.