Bato dela Rosa creates task force to run after scalawags in PNP

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa announced Monday the creation of a counter-intelligence group to go after scalawags in uniform.

“We are creating [a] counter-intelligence task force of the PNP to run after scalawags in [the] PNP,” Dela Rosa said in a speech during the PNP flag ceremony and mass oath taking of promotees.

He said it will be directly under the Office of the chief PNP.

“Wala itong gagawin, wala itong ibang misyon, kundi habulin, to run after all scalawags in the PNP.  Kaya kayong mga sindikatong pulis, tignan natin ngayon, lumaban kayo para kayo mamatay, papatayin kayo nitong counter-intelligence task force. Lahat ng mga scalawag, from PO1 to general, this will be your enemy,” he added.

Dela Rosa also vowed to be ruthless and unforgiving to erring personnel.

“Expect me to be ruthless,  unforgiving to those scalawags in uniform,” he said.

The PNP chief made the announcement following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte for the disbandment of anti-drug units over the killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. 

Dela Rosa also officially ordered the deactivation of Anti-Illegal Drugs Unit and other anti-drug units at the regional, provincial, city and station level.

“You can just imagine our war on drugs already was very victorious at this point in time, we have achieved our target but because of that (Jee kidnap-slay) the President stripped us of our power to enforce drug laws. Hindi na tayo pwedeng mag-operate sa anti-drugs, no more anti-drug operations,” he said.

“That is why, starting today, I have dissolved the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group. All anti-drug units from the national to the police station level, yung mga RAIDSOT (regional anti-illegal drugs special operating team) na yan, PAIDSOT, SAIDSOT, lahat yan, dissolved, deactivated,” he said.

He said they will now focus on cleansing their ranks.

“We have to focus our efforts toward internal cleansing until the time na ma-cleanse na natin ang PNP, the President will determine that, and he will instruct us to go back to our war on drugs,” he said.

Dela Rosa said he already instructed the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), Internal Affairs Service (IAS), Directorate for Personnel and Resource Management (DPRM) to come up with a list of PNP personnel who have been dismissed from service but reinstated or those with cases.

“I have given instructions already since last night to our DIDM, IAS, DPRM to consolidate their efforts in order to come up with a list of all these scalawags in uniform na na-reinstate kahit na nang-holdup yan, hulidap, nangotong, nangikil, nangidnap,” he said. 

“Iyan ‘yung ipapahabol ng ating counter-intelligence task force. Bakit itong mga pulis na ito nakakabalik, for all we know nag sige na naman itong pangholdap nitong mga tao na ito,” he added.

Asked who will lead the CITF, the PNP chief said they are still in the process of choosing the head of the task force.

“Yung maghehead pinag-usapan pa namin. Pipili pa kami ng isang Senior Superintendent na maghe-head. we must be careful because this unit will police the police. Kung malagyan ito ng tiwali, masingitan na naman tayo  ng mga may sariling agenda na pulis masisira na naman ito so salang sala ito yung CITF,” he said.

He said they wanted to make sure that the reputation of the CITF head is beyond question.

“Siguruhin natin na y’ung leader na ito is beyond question, beyond doubt, at kailangan malinis ito na tao, matapang na kayang bumangga sa mga masasamang pulis,” he said.

He said at least 100 PNP personnel will be assigned to CITF.

He added CITF will concentrate first in Metro Manila and Luzon. — RSJ, GMA News