PNP spokesman dismisses calls for Bato resignation over Jee Ick Joo killing

Philippine National Police spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos dodged Friday calls on the social media for PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa to resign following the reported killing of South Korean kidnap victim Jee Ick Joo inside Camp Crame.

Carlos said the killing of Jee is an isolated case.

“Every day crime is happening so every day we will have a new chief PNP kung ganun ‘yung kanilang basis. This is just an isolated case,” he told reporters when asked on the matter.

Social media users posted on Facebook and Twitter Thursday their calls for Dela Rosa’s resignation. This was after the PNP chief admitted that the killing happened inside the PNP headquarters. 

“Very angry. Very offended. Kung pwede lang matunaw ako ngayon sa kinalalagyan ko sa hiya. It happened sa loob ng Camp Crame. Kinuha nila doon sa Caloocan, dinala doon sa loob ng Camp Crame, at doon pinatay. Kung pwede lang matunaw ako ngayon sa hiya. Hiyang-hiya ako,” Dela Rosa said during a briefing in Malacañang. 

Witnesses have pointed to SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel as the one who allegedly strangled Jee to death the same day the latter was abducted from his home in Angeles City in Pampanga.

A source said Jee was killed inside a black Ford Explorer that was parked inside the Police Community Relations Group compound.

“Binalot ng tape ang mukha saka sinakal, sakay ng kanyang Explorer na itim,” the source said, adding that the incident happened around 10 p.m.

A police official, who refused to be named, said the closed-circuit television footage in the area is no longer available because these have been already overwritten by the system.

Defending the PNP chief, Carlos said Dela Rosa should not be judged for the wrongful act of one police officer.

“You judge him ... look at how dedicated he is and what he has done in the past six months. Alam kong maiintidihan ng taumbayan dahil yung dedication at saka yung  desire of the chief PNP to free us from drugs and rogue cops, itong mga ganitong klaseng pulis. Let us not use that as a basis to ask for his resignation,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said there is no need for Dela Rosa to resign. 

“If he enforces the law then no need (to resign). Let’s revisit the question if he is “papatay-patay." But to his credit, the crime was solved under his watch (although the crime too was committed under his watch, but he was not the one who committed the crime),” Pimentel said. — RSJ, GMA News