PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa apologized for telling the drug surrenderee in Bacolod City the other day to kill the drug lords and burn their houses to show their anger.
De la Rosa, who was in Iloilo City Friday, August 26, told reporters that he got carried away by his emotions when he saw the 800 drug users and pushers gathered at the Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports Center.
“Sa sama ng loob ko, kaharap ko 'yung mga pobreng tao, yung mga user at pusher na mukhang zombie. Kaya sa sama ng loob ko, galit na galit ako kaya nasabi ko iyun,” he said.
“Pasensiya na kung ano nasabi ko na hindi kanais-nais. Maraming nagrereact. I am very sorry; tao lang po ako na nagagalit lang. Nakikita ko ang mukha ng mga taong kaawa-awa talaga. I don’t know kung mase-save pa natin sila,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malacañang has come to the defense of De la Rosa.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Friday that de la Rosa was just making a loud call for the drug personalities to come out and surrender to the authorities.
"It's a warning, it's a heads up. You know the reason why perhaps, people have not fully appreciated how deeply the spread of drug menace is because it's only now that it's being revealed,” he said.
He added: “For the longest time, it was either ignored or not attended to and so people are in the depths. It's only now and that's why he (Dela Rosa) is making a large, loud call."
On Thursday, de la Rosa told the drug surrenderees in the city that they are the real victims in the drug menace.
“You’re the victim of this big problem because you’re being used as an instrument by the drug lords. They get rich. They are healthy. They have a good life. They don't use drugs. They don’t have a problem. They don't get caught by the police. They don’t get killed by the police because they don’t do drugs. In other words, they are clean. They enjoy the money that came from you. Money that destroys your brain. You know who these drug lords are. Do you want to kill them? Kill them. It’s okay because you're the victim here,” he said.
He added: “If you want, you know who these drug lords are. Go to their houses. Pour gasoline in their houses, set it on fire. Show them you’re angry.” (MPE with reports from Sunnex)