‘Unfair’: Bato slams ‘incredible’ Reuters report on QC ‘Davao Boys’

Philippine National Police Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday said it was “unfair” to accuse the “Davao Boys” of the Quezon City Police District’s Station 6 to be perpetrator of illegal drug-related killings in the area, calling the allegation an “incredible story.”

“What’s so significant about that? Porke taga-Davao na na-assign dyan gagawa kayo story na inutusan na pumatay ng pumatay? Wow, napaka-incredible ng story n’yo; sinong gumawa ng story na ‘yan?” Dela Rosa told reporters in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

(Just because the ones assigned there are from Davao, you make up a story that they are being ordered to kill? Wow, that such an incredible story; who made up the story?)

In a special report of Reuters published last Tuesday, they traced how a group of 10 police officers from Davao City arrived in Manila right after President Rodrigo Duterte launched his controversial war on drugs in 2016.

The group, dubbed as “Davao Boys,” formed the core of a “lethal anti-drug unit involved in a deadly path,” and “racked up” the number of drug-related killings in the station, the report said.

Reuters’ report also said the group was “involved in more than half of Station 6’s drug-related killings, 62 out of 108 deaths, including the three operations with the highest body count.”

Before Dela Rosa promoted Police Superintendent Lito Patay as regional chief of the Criminal and Investigation Detection Group (CIDG), Patay led the “Davao Boys” as commander of the Station 6 or Batasan Station.

Asked in an ambush interview on Wednesday if there was an order to kill drug suspects, Dela Rosa said: “Sino namang mag-order ng ganun? Itong mga taong ito, itong mga kritikong ito, talagang ididiin na inoorder na patayin ng patayin.

“That’s unfair, very unfair ‘yan yung instruction na patayin ng patayin.”

(Who would order that? These people, these critics, they will really insist that there was an order to kill and kill. That’s unfair, very unfair, the instruction to kill.)

The PNP chief also defended Patay and vouched for Patay’s record and dedication.

“Nilagay sya dyan para i-address ang problema ng droga, hindi para patayin ‘yung sino mga dapat patayin. Kung lumaban edi alangan namang magpakamatay ka, lumaban ka, pulis ka eh, you do have authority to arrest these people. Then kung makipagpatayan sayo, depensahan mo sarili mo,” he told reporters.

(He was put there to address the drug problem, not to kill. If the suspects fought back, it’s not as if you should let it happen; you should fight back, you’re a police, you have the authority to arrest these people. If they intend to kill, you need to defend yourself.)

And despite the report, Dela Rosa maintained his trust and support to Patay.

“Pinili ko sya dahil malaki ‘yung tiwala ko sa kanya na meron syang bayag na harapin ‘yung problema. Lalaban yan. Yung tao na yan hindi yan yung opisyal na puro pera pera lang,” he said.

(I chose him because I trust him to have the balls to face the problem. He will fight. That person isn’t an official who is just in it for the money.)

“Alam ko magdedeliver yan, dating tao ko yan, nakipagbarilan yan sa NPA (New People’s Army), ilang beses yan na-ambush, ang dami nyang tama sa katawan. I know he’s a dedicated officer talagang magtrabaho yan at magdedeliver,” he added.

(I know he will deliver, he was one of my men before, he fought against the NPA, he was ambushed many times, he’s been hit many times. I know he’s a dedicated officer who will work hard and deliver.) /je