Lacson ‘inclined to believe’ Bato’s telling the truth

PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (left) and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. Photos by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net, Romeo Bugante/PRIB Photo

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said he understands the “emotional condition” of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during the Senate hearing on the spate of drug killings.

Emotions ran high during the Senate committee on public order’s resumption of inquiry on the consecutive deaths of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos and 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz in separate police operations in Caloocan City last August.

Both Dela Rosa and Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta broke down in tears after Senator Risa Hontiveros questioned the continuous rise in killings due to the government’s drug war.

Dela Rosa once again teared up while defending the police force, asserting that the PNP never had a policy to carry out arbitrary killings.

Lacson said the senators cannot judge whether Dela Rosa was genuine, but he said he was “inclined to believe” the police chief.

“Is there a way for us to question kung siya ba nagpe-prevaricate or absolutely true ang sinasabi niya? It’s not for us to judge him. He cannot just, in front of all his officers sa likuran niya, practically yan ang directorial staff, and he knew he was being watched by practically the whole PNP, including those assigned in the provinces. For him to tell na talagang alam ng Diyos, mamatay na ako rito, wala akong utos sa kanila pagpapatayin ang drug pushers, I’m more inclined to believe na totoo ang sinasabi niya,” he said.

Lacson, a former police chief, was formerly Dela Rosa’s superior when they were serving under the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) during former President Joseph Estrada’s time.

He said he also feels for the members of the police, particularly those embroiled in the controversial death of teenagers Delos Santos and Arnaiz.

“Ako ramdam ko rin, nagpe-preside lang ako. But looking at them, sabi ko nga, setting aside whether they’re guilty or not, I could feel the stress, probably the compunction sa kanila,” the senator said. je