Dela Rosa cries while assuring senator there's no state policy on killings

Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday cried, seemingly out of frustration, during the Senate hearing after a senator alleged that there was a government policy to kill drug suspects.

Dela Rosa told Senator Risa Hontiveros during the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee hearing on the death of Kian Loyd delos Santos that he felt "alluded" to when the latter mentioned that there is a policy that tolerates killings in the government's war on drugs.

"The killing of minors and young people are no longer an isolated incident. Hindi rin ako naniniwala na hayok lang sa pagpatay ang ilan sa ating kapulisan. May polisiya na nagdidikta sa kultura ng patayan na nangyayari sa ating bayan. There's madness....Malaki ang kalaban natin, hindi lang isa o dalawang pulis kundi malaking polisiya na nagpapahintulot ng patayan sa ngalan ng war on drugs," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros, clarified that her statement was meant for a higher official than Dela Rosa.

"Kung mataas sa akin, you're referring to the President. Hindi naman po si President ang chief PNP. Hindi naman siya nagbibigay ng order sa mga tao na mag-conduct ng operations. So I feel alluded to na may ganon. Ako mamamatay man ako ngayon dito sa inuupan ko, wala kaming pinapairal na policy na malawakang pagpatay sa suspect, mamatay man ako," Dela Rosa said.

"Kung ma-prove 'yung polisiya right now, uuwi ako sa Davao, aalis ako sa pagiging chief PNP, kung talagang may policy na ganon, malawakang pagpatayan," he added.

Dela Rosa said that he is one with Hontiveros in the quest for justice, saying that policemen should not be involved in such killings.

"I am grieving for the majority of my men na nakataya ang buhay nila tapos i-accuse n'yo kami ng polisya na ganun. Masakit. Masakit, your honor," Dela Rosa told Hontiveros during the hearing.

"Andyan si Lord, nakikita niya. I'm willing to go back to Davao City 'pag na-prove mo 'yan," Dela Rosa added. "You know me personally, your honor. 'Di ako papayag na gagamitin ang pulis sa masama."

Hontiveros' husband, Francisco Baraquel Jr., was Dela Rosa's classmate in the Philippine Military Academy's Class of 1986.

The top cop also assured Hontiveros that President Rodrigo Duterte, who declared the war on drugs after assuming the presidency, did not order him to tell the police to go on a killing spree of drug suspects.

"Mamatay man ako, walang sinabi sa akin si Presidente na pumatay kayo nang pumatay," he said.

'One-time, big-time' operations

During the hearing, Dela Rosa also said that they do not conduct "one-time, big-time" operations.

"Wala, 'yung term na 'one-time, big-time' hindi na po namin ginagamit 'yan ngayon. Siguro nadala lang 'yan sa mga noon pa 'yan. 'Yung panahon pa 'yan ni Secretary Mar Roxas 'yung one-time big-time na 'yan. Ngayon hindi na po namin ginagamit," Dela Rosa said when asked by Senator Panfilo Lacson on whether the PNP is conducting one-time, big-time operations.

A number of drug suspects have been killed in a series of one-time big-time operations conducted in Bulacan, Caloocan and Manila. —ALG/KG, GMA News