PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Photo by Noy Morcoso
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Thursday dismissed allegations that the arrest of a National Democratic Front (NDFP) consultant and his companion was “politically motivated.”
“Sabi nila politically motivated, sa amin trabaho lang,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing.
(They say it’s politically motivated, for us it’s just a job.)
“Alangan namang pabayaan natin sila dyan, pakalat-kalat, gawa gawa ng problema sa bayan,” he added.
(It’s not as if we would let them be, just scattered, making problems for the country.)
Earlier, joint forces from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), Regional Intelligence Division-NCR Police Office, District Intelligence Division-Manila Police District and Quezon City Police District, and PNP Intelligence Group conducted an operation which led to the arrest of NDFP consultant Rafael Baylosis and his companion, Roque Guillermo Jr. along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.
According to authorities, they yielded two .45-caliber guns, 14 ammos, two pieces magazines, cellphones, and assorted documents from the two, who are currently detained at Camp Crame.
READ: NDF consultant arrested – Karapatan
“Syempre gusto nila ‘wag mahuli; kami naman, gusto namin mahuli sila. Para ‘di sila gipitin, huminto na sila sa pambwisit sa taumbayan, ‘yung pagsunog ng mga equipment, pang harass,” Dela Rosa told reporters.
(Of course they don’t want to be caught; for us, we want them to be caught. They should stop harassing the public, setting equipment on fire.)
When pressed if the arrest was politically-motivated since Dela Rosa admitted that two were being monitored, he answered: “Ito na naman. It is purely problema natin to sa NPA (New People’s Army), sa insurgency.”
(This again. This is purely our problem with the NPA, with insurgency.)
“Minomonitor siya, tapos nakitaan siya ng baril kaya hinuli,” he added.
(We’re monitoring them, and then we found guns on them, that’s why we arrested them.)
President Rodrigo Duterte had proclaimed that he would go after left-leaning groups once the court declares the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and NPA as terrorist groups. He has also accused activist groups as “legal fronts” of the communist rebels.
The NDFP, meanwhile, strongly condemned the “illegal” arrest and detention of one of its consultants and demanded for his “immediate and unconditional” release. /je
READ: NDFP condemns ‘illegal’ arrest of consultant