Bato dela Rosa: Senate hearing on extrajudicial killings 'fruitful' despite grilling

Amid the grilling he received in the Senate on the spate of killings of drug suspects, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa found the hearing fruitful.

“May patutunguhan (yung hearing) lalo na yung legislation na binabanggit ng ating mga senador. Lahat po yun ay pabor na pabor sa pulis. Tuwang-tuwa po kami dun sa mga pinagsasabi nila kanila. Ang dami pong magagandang legislation na lalabas dito sa hearing na ito,” Dela Rosa told reporters after the probe when asked on his assessment.

He was referring to the bill filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson returning to the PNP the training of its men.

At present, the training is being handled by the Philippine Public Safety College. The other bills were amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Law filed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and inclusion of drug investigation in the exemption in the anti-wiretapping law.

“The PNP has nothing to lose with that, but everything to gain,” he said.

“Napakalaki ng gain, yung sinasabi ng mga senador na legislation na pwede nilang gawin like yung ibalik sa amin yung control ng training ng institution ng PNP, matagal na po namin yang pangarap at lahat pala sila ay working towards that," Dela Rosa said.

"Saka yung sa amendment ng wiretapping law na isama yung sa drugs kasi ang nakasama lang e terrorism, napakaganda nun. Yung sinabi ni Sen Zubiri na tungkol sa AMLC, bank secrecy at money laundering,” he added.

On the commendation he received from senators, he believed it was a sign that he did his job well.

“Hindi ako nagulat dahil on the ground really nape-feel ko yung taumbayan na natutuwa sa ginagawa namin. Masaya yung taumbayan sa ginagawa ng pulisya nila. The Senate is representing the people so sila rin dama rin nila yung ginagawa namin,” he said.

He said the questions on the cases of deaths under investigation were just part of the job of the senators.

“Because they have a duty to do, yung mga DUI na kailangang maaddress, kaisa nila kami doon, hindi nila kami kalaban dyan. Kami mismo nagsusumikap na masolve ang mga kaso na yan. I would not tolerate yung mga ginagawa na yan,” he said.

He just asked the senators and the public to focus on the positive side of things.

“Ire-recomend ko sana na dapat instead na magfocus tayo sa negative na nangyayari, magfocus tayo sa positive para naman ma-encourage ang ating kapulisan. Ngayon nga lang tumapang ang ating pulis na makipagbanggaan sa malalakign sindikato, sa malalaking drug lord e ganun pa ang ating ibibigay sa kanila,” he said.

“Sana icommend yung ating kapulisan na tumapang nang husto. Ano ang magiging kalabasan nito kung magiging drug-free ang Pilipinas, di ba tayong lahat ay mamumuhay nang matiwasay, walang iniisip na problema, hindi tayo matatakot? Para sa ating lahat ito, hindi ito para sa amin, hindi para sa pulis lang,” he added. — VVP, GMA News