Bato hopes Church openness to cops confession not a ‘fishing trip’

The Philippine National Police hopes the Catholic Church's expressed willingness to hear the "troubled consciences" of cops carrying out the government's war on drugs wouldn't  turn out to be a "fishing expedition," PNP Chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said Saturday.

"Sana hindi yan fishing expedition ... nagsisimula ng ganun to lure yung disgruntled diyan na police na gustong pumunta..." Dela Rosa told Super Radyo dzBB's Francis Flores. 

Also, Dela Rosa said that both the police and the church are after the truth behind the bloody and controversial police operations against illegal drug suspects.

"We are all after [the] truth... basta truth and justice lang ang habol natin, hindi yung fishing expedition." 

Dela Rosa's statement came after the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) claimed that some police officers have approached Catholic leaders to confess their participation in the war against drugs.

But he pointed out that top PNP officials are open to hearing the troubles of disgruntled cops, too.

"Handa rin kami makinig. For all we know, baka kung anu-ano nang nangyari sa baba, kung meron silang problema, then the PNP leadership is ready to help their complaints their concerns." 

Dela Rosa reiterated his invitation to church leaders to join police operations, quoting the President that police operations have to be kept open even to its critics.

"'Yun yung gusto ni Presidente, na open tayo para yung criticism nila, mabigyan nila ng totoong ugat kung ano ba talaga yung nangyayari sa police operations," he said.

Dela Rosa maintained the police have nothing to hide.

"Pasamahin niyo. Kung may tinatago kami, Francis, ang aming aim is to pumatay ng pumatay, bakit namin imbitahan yung...church, bakit namin imbitahan yung media? Para mabulabog yung ginagawa namin? Hindi naman siguro. We are open," he added.

The CBCP, among various other groups, has been vocal about the spate of killings of drug suspects under the Rodrigo Duterte administration.

In a statement released on the heels of the controversial police operations that led to the slays of minors Kian Loyd Delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and Reynaldo "Kulot" De Guzman, the CBCP called for an end to the killings and for justice to be served.

"In the name of God, stop the killings! May the justice of God come upon those responsible for the killings!" said CBCP President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.  —LBG, GMA News