Next PNP chief seeks advice from Lacson in reforming police force

Chief Superintendent Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has sought advice from Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson regarding his goal to weed out scalawags in the police force once he becomes the overall commander of the Philippine National Police.

"Pareho kami ng pangarap sa PNP na sana 'yung PNP ay talagang rerespetuhin ng publiko, at yung PNP ay napakatino na walang ginagawang sindikato, walang ginagawang kalokohan," said Dela Rosa of Lacson, himself a former PNP chief, in Oscar Oida's report on "24 Oras" on Thursday.

The report said Dela Rosa served under Lacson when the latter headed the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) during the Estrada administration.

Dela Rosa said among Lacson's policies that he wishes to reintroduce to the PNP are those against "kotong cops" or policemen involved in extortion, and those against obese officers.

He also said he would pick unit commanders who do not only have clean records but are also combative.

Dela Rosa, who is handpicked by incoming president Rodrigo Duterte to lead the PNP, vowed there would be no sacred cows in his campaign to cleanse the police organization of erring officers.

"Kung patuloy kayo, you eliminate me. Pero kung 'di niyo 'ko ma-eliminate, I will eliminate you," he said.

Dela Rosa also expressed exasperation over the arrest of PO2 Jolly Aliangan of the National Capital Region Police Office got involvement in the illegal drug syndicate.

Aliangan was arrested in his home in Sampaloc, Manila, on Wednesday and was even caught in the act of attempting to flush illegal drugs down the toilet. Seized from his vault were large sums of money believed to be from his illegal activity.

"Maha-high blood ka talaga. Nalulungkot. Ano ba 'to? Bakit ganyan yung ibang pulis?" said Dela Rosa. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News