PNP chief Bato dela Rosa ready to appoint civilian IAS head but...

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa expressed readiness Thursday to appoint a civilian as head of the PNP-Internal Affairs Service but only after they have rid the police organization of ‘bad eggs.’

“Pag na-address na ang problema sa bulok sa aming hanay, papasok na po namin yung sibilyan. If that thing happens, probably tomorrow I can appoint a new IAS inspector general,” Dela Rosa said during the Senate hearing on government efforts against illegal drugs.

This was after Sen. Grace Poe questioned the PNP on its failure to appoint a civilian IAS head as mandated by Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganizaion Act of 1998.

Dela Rosa said he believes it is still better for the IAS to be headed by a police officer who can thwart  threats from erring policemen.

“As of now, I find it necessary to maintain a police officer as the head of the IAS because a lot of police officers and senior police officers are involved in illegal drug trade. If I put a civilian head in the IAS, madaling i-threaten ang civilian, baka hindi makalaban sa pulis na scalawag,” he said.

“For me, I find it necessary to maintain that a police officer as head of IAS, he is capable to  thwart any threat offered by these scalawag police officers,” Dela Rosa reiterated.

Poe said she was not questioning the capability of the person now heading IAS, Chief Supt. Leo Angelo Leuterio, but she was just insisting the provision on the law.

“Nakalagay sa batas na civilian dapat (ang head ng IAS). Yung nakaraang administrasyon hindi nila pinalitan ng sibilyan ang IAS head kaya umaasa kami, we remain hopeful that in this new administration, it will be [as] such,” she said.

Poe said she understands the concern of Dela Rosa but she believes it is the duty of the PNP to secure its IAS head. 

“I understand your concern na baka nga hindi makaya ng isang sibilyan ang kultura ng pulis. Kayo ang ating pulis, tagapagtanggol namin, kung maglalagay kayo ng isang civilian head doon,  dahil kayo ay napagkakatiwalaan  namin bilang aming police director general, alam ko na hindi n’yo hahayaan ang kanyang kaligtasan,” she said.

“Kung kinakailangan na maglagay ng isang batalyon na magbabantay ng isang IAS head, hindi ko nakikita ang problema na yun,” she added.

She believed there are a lot of civilians who are capable of heading IAS.

“Maraming mga taong may kredibilidad, may tapang, may malasakit sa inyong hanay na maiintindihan ang inyong mga gagawin,” said Poe.

She said the civilian head of IAS should be directly under the Office of the President. Dela Rosa was not keen on the idea as it would mean that an outsider would probe the PNP.

“Kung that will be the case, baka hindi na pwedeng tawaging Internal Affairs Service, External Affairs Service na yun, hindi na internal ng PNP, outside the PNP na yun,” the PNP chief said. 

Poe said that because of the brotherhood of policemen, the IAS head might have some reservations probing his colleagues.

Nonetheless, the senator welcomed Dela Rosa’s openness to appoint a civilian IAS head as she also expressed readiness to amend the law if needed.

“Aasahan po namin yan,  ang trabaho namin hindi lang magbalangkas ng batas kundi siguraduhin na may oversight, na sinusunod ang batas. Nandito kami kaparte ninyo. Pag sa tingin n’yo mali ang batas na yan, kailangang baguhin, andito kami para ayusin yan,” she said. — RSJ, GMA News