Senators disagree with Bato dela Rosa’s ‘shit happens’ remark

Senators disagreed Friday on the nonchalant attitude of Senator Ronald dela Rosa on the death of a three-year old girl who was killed during a buy-bust operation in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who like Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police, said the death of a child should be taken seriously.

“One innocent life lost is one life too many. It is not everyday that an innocent civilian, much less a 3-year old child, is caught in the crossfire between law enforcement and criminal elements,” Lacson said in a message.

He said corrective measures should be put in place immediately and those responsible must at least be investigated to determine possible lapses or lack of discretion.

“Nonchalance has no place in this situation,” he said.

Senator Francis Pangilinan said accepting collateral deaths as a reality instead of condemning it would only mean that such incidents would be repeated in the future.

“Hindi ito tama at hindi ako sang-ayon sa posisyon na ganun lang talaga ang realidad. Kinokondena natin ang pagpatay sa 3 taing gulang na bat a pati na rin ang patuloy na araw araw na patayan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na ang mahihirap,” he said.

He said killing the poor is not the solution.

“Habulin ang mga sindikato at mga druglord at mga kasabwat nitong mga nasa gobyerno na nasa likod ng pagpapalusot ng shabu sa Customs. ‘Yun ang tunay na solusyon,” he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, said it is time to flush down the drug war if “shit happens.”

“Let's not trivialize innocent lives lost. Shit happens? Then it's time to call a plumber & flush this bloody & abusive drug war down the toilet,” she said in a Twitter post.

Let's not trivialize innocent lives lost. Shit happens? Then it's time to call a plumber & flush this bloody & abusive drug war down the toilet

— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) July 5, 2019

Dela Rosa earlier said police would always ensure that there would be no collateral damage but things sometimes go awry. 

“Sino ba may gusto, ikaw ba pulis ka gusto mong may batang matamaan? Never, kasi ikaw may anak ka rin. Hindi mo gustong may mangyaring ganun pero shit happens during operations,” Dela Rosa said during the Kapihan sa Senado Thursday.

On June 29, police conducted a buy-bust operation targeting Renato Ulpina and another  drug suspect.

Police claimed Ulpina used his daughter Kateleen My ca Ulpina as a human shield during the shootout but the victim’s family and a witness denied this.

Four were killed in the incident including Ulpina, Kateleen, another drug suspect, and Senior Master Sergeant Conrad Cabigao who acted as the poseur buyer. — RSJ, GMA News