Bato dela Rosa admits ‘palit-ulo’ scheme but says it’s not similar to Robredo’s ‘revelation’

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Monday there is indeed a ‘palit-ulo’ scheme in the police organization but it is nothing like what Vice President Leni Robredo mentioned.

“‘Yung palit-ulo na version na sinasabi ni Vice President, dine-deny ko po yan. Kung meron mang kaso na nangyari doon, I have yet to receive complaint about that,” Dela Rosa said during a press conference.

He was referring to the statement made by Robredo in a recorded video message for a side session for the 60th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs that “wife or husband or relative of a person in a so-called drug list will be taken if the person himself could not be found.”

The PNP chief said that if there is a police officer involved in such scheme, he will make sure to punish the errring cop.

“Can you just  imagine yung kanilang version na hulihin yung nanay o yung tatay kung hindi makita ‘yung suspek o kapatid, napakagago na pulis n’un. Iharap n’yo ang pulis sa akin ngayon at susuntukin ko sa mukha yang pulis na ‘yan,” he said.

“Bubugbugin ko sa harap mo ang pulis na gumagawa niyan. Iharap mo sa akin kung meron diyan hindi ko pababayaan yung ganyang ginagawa kung ginagawa ‘yan,” he added. 

Common practice

Dela Rosa said the style of some investigators is to tell arrested drug pushers that they will be charged with a lesser offense if they will name their dealer or supplier.

“‘Yung palit-ulo na common practice ng pulis, meaning ikaw nahuli kita, drug pusher ka, ilaglag mo kung sino yung supplier o drug lord na nasa taas mo, kung masabi mo ‘yan, hindi naman actually papalayain, depende na kung lesser offense, imbes na Section 5 na drug pushing ang magiging kaso ay Sec 11 o possession na lang for a lighter offense basta sabihin kung sino ang source. ‘Yan ang palit ulo,” he said. 

He was referring to the provisions of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. 

Robredo’s letter

The PNP chief also said he did not receive the letter supposedly sent by the Vice President to his office in connection with her query on the campaign against illegal drugs.

“Paano ko mapansin yung sulat na hindi nakarating sa akin ha? Wala naman akong natanggap na sulat na ganun at saka sinabi na lang nila ‘yun after nagreact ‘yung PNP na mali yung concept niya sa palit-ulo. Sinabi na lang yan na may nagpadala ng sulat. Wala naman kaming natanggap,” he said.

Dela Rosa said that if ever he received the letter, he would have acted on it as he had done on other letters sent to him.

“Kahit na ordinaryong tao, kahit hindi Vice President ang magreklamo sa akin, aaksyunan ko talaga iyan lalo na we are deep into our internal cleansing program. Ayaw natin mangyari ‘yan(g abuso). Again hindi perpekto ang PNP as an organization pero pilit nating nililinis ngayon kaya kung meron man ganung pangyayari sana makarating sa amin para maaksyunan namin,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News