Editorial: Bato's compelling words

Thursday, February 2, 2012

"LET us focus on our job."

Those were compelling words from Senior Supt. Ronald dela Rosa. On his first day as director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), dela Rosa wasted no time in sending a strong message to policemen that he won't allow indolence and cowardice under his watch and that he wants them to perform their functions well as defenders of the people from lawless elements.

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"Let us focus on our job," dela Rosa said in his acceptance speech during the turnover ceremonies graced by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte at Camp Domingo Leonor Wednesday morning.

The newly-installed DCPO chief then made public his first major move since taking over the post from Senior Superintendent Rene Aspera, and that is to institute a revamp among officers affecting those non-performing ones.

Removing officers from their present posts because of sluggish performance is a laudable move on the part of Dela Rosa, but there is greater challenge aside from just unseating station commanders. He has to maintain peace and order in his area of responsibility (AOR) and prevent criminals from doing their thing in the city.

Mayor Duterte herself hurled the challenge to the new DCPO chief. She wants Dela Rosa to decimate all organized crime groups that may enter the city and make headway on the DCPO crime solution efficiency.

Just like her father, Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, the lady mayor is known for her iron-hand policy against criminality and is pinning her hopes on dela Rosa to get the job done in as far as maintaining peace and order is concerned.

Although the DCPO has had some bright moments against criminals under Aspera's watch, like when members of the dreaded Acetylene Gang were arrested and charged in court last year, there were a series of robberies and burglaries that not only pestered the community but also ended up as unsolved cases.

Of course, for a city as big as Davao, we cannot expect law enforcers to prevent all crimes from happening. That is impossible if we are also to consider the poor police to people ratio.

Still, the people of Davao City and Mayor Duterte are banking on dela Rosa and the entire DCPO to keep them from harm, especially at night when these crooks lurk in the dark and wait for their prey.

Dela Rosa, for all his expertise and good credentials as police officer, cannot do it alone. He needs men who perform their functions religiously in carrying out the Philippine National Police mandate which is to serve and protect the people.