DIRECTOR General Ronald de la Rosa, chief of Philippine National Police (PNP), said the Maasin police station incident should not be experienced by other police stations in Negros Isalnd Region.
“Humanda sila, I don’t know kung ano ang gagawin ko sa kanila kung mangyari pa ‘yan. Hindi naman tayo nagkukulang sa reminders eh (They will see, I don’t know what to do with them if it happens. We have given them enough reminders),” De la Rosa told VoxPop Bacolod in an interview at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City Friday evening, June 23.
“Ewan ko kung paano ko sila i-motivate para lumaban, para makipagpatayan diyan sa mga NPA na yan kung atakihin sila (I don’t know how to motivate them to fight, to die in fighting against the NPA during attacks),” the PNP chief lamented.
Maasin Police Station in the neighboring Iloilo province was raided by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on June 18.
De la Rosa said he showed his disappointment to the police there after they were easily overran without fighting, without firing even a single shot.
“They just stood there while their firearms are being taken by NPA,” he said.
De la Rosa, however, said the NPA’s act of stealing personal properties of the police, including jewelry, cellphones, and other gadgets, has further lowered their morality.
“This is no longer part of rebellion. I don’t look up to them, they are robbers,” he added.
He pointed out that the police cannot excuse the lack of firearms and ammunition to fight.
“If they lack courage, then it is no longer my problem,” he added.
All personnel, including the station chief, were relieved from their posts and are now De la Rosa’s priority candidates, along with “narco-cops,” for transfer to Marawi City.
De la Rosa was the guest speaker at the recognition rites of police trainees who completed the three-month Public Safety Basic Recruitment Course held at Manuel Y. Torres Sports Center in Bago City.
De la Rosa said that by swearing in, the police are ready to die, and they should be ready to be killed in the name of service.
“Call me cruel, it’s okay. I just want my men to fight. They might run out of bullets, they can be killed, as long as they are fighting,” he added.
