Senators on Eleazar’s outburst: You can’t blame him

MANILA, Philippines — Even some senators have defended National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Major General Guillermo Eleazar’s outburst against a cop accused of extorting money from a drug suspect.

“Yes, I understand his frustration and why he displayed such anger, having gone through the same experience almost 20 years ago,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said in a text message.

“Between him and the extortionist cop, he is a no-brainer choice of a hero,” he added.

In fact, it felt like a ’deja vu’ for Lacson as he recalled also confronting “kotong” cops when he was still the head of the Philippine National Police.

“In anger, I wanted to shoot them myself, and I remember doing almost the same ritual that P/Maj General Eleazar did,” the senator said.

Even Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III also believed that Eleazar did the right thing in confronting the extortionist cop publicly.

“I understand his eruption. It’s a feeling of embarrassment for the damning acts of his men,” Sotto said in another text message.

“Eleazar did right as far as I’m concerned,” the Senate leader said.

Senator JV Ejercito echoed Sotto’s sentiment, saying that what Eleazer did was necessary as it would send a strong message against rogue cops.

“Hindi mo masisi yung outburst ng isang opisyal tulad ni Eleazar…(You cannot blame the outburst of officials like eleazar),” Ejercito said during the Kapihan sa Senado.

“Kelangan mong gawin yun para magtanda din, para matakot din itong mga POIs at mga rogue cops na may hindi magandang balak. Dapat lang matakot din sila (You need to do that so they’ll remember. These POIs and rogue cops who have ill intentions should have fear),” he added.

While he also understands Eleazar’s frustration, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said public servants should still observe maximum tolerance.

“I cannot blame him dahil talagang maraming scalawag at walanghiya sa ating kapulisan at at that point in time frustration yung lumalabas (I cannot blame him because there are really many scalawags in the police force, so at that point in time he merely expressed his frustration). But as a rule all of us public servants, we have to practice maximum tolerance,” Gatchalian said in an interview at the Senate.

The subject of Eleazar’s outburst was Corporal Marlo Siblao Quibete, who was arrested Tuesday for allegedly receiving P20,000 in marked money from a woman in exchange for dropping drug charges against her live-in partner.

READ: Eleazar to rogue cop: ‘Sorry, not sorry’

After the arrest, the NCRPO chief confronted Quibete at the nearby Marikina City Police Station and reportedly rained expletives at him. However, Eleazar denied hurting the cop. /ee

READ: Eleazar denies slapping, pulling hair of cop arrested for extortion