Dela Rosa wails at Senate anew after confrontation with Hontiveros

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa broke down once again at the Senate following the allegation of Senator Risa Hontiveros that there might be "a policy of massive killings" within his agency "for the sake the administration's war on drugs."

"The killing of the minors and young people are no longer isolated incidents...May polisiya na nag didikta sa kultura ng patayan na nangyayari ngayon sa ating bayan. There is a system in the killings, there is method in the madness," Hontiveros said.

(The killing of the minors and young people are no longer isolated incidents...There is a policy on the culture of killings in the country. There is a system in the killings, there is method in the madness)

The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs is currently investigating the drug war deaths of Kian Delos Santos, 17; and Carl Angelo Arnaiz, 19, in the hands of Caloocan City police officers.

Dela Rosa, however, denied that such policy is in effect in the PNP.

"I am grieving for the majority of my men na nakataya ang buhay nila tapos i-accuse n'yo kami ng polisya na ganun. Masakit. Masakit, your honor," he said in response to Hontiveros' allegations.

(I am grieving for the majority of my men who risk their lives and now you are accusing us of such policy. Painful. Painful, your honor)

"Andyan si Lord, nakikita niya. I'm willing to go back to Davao City 'pag na-prove mo 'yan...You know me personally, your honor. 'Di ako papayag na gagamitin ang pulis sa masama," he added.

(God is there, He sees. I'm willing to go back to Davao City if you can prove that...You know me personally, your honor. I won't allow the police to be used)

Dela Rosa was the classmate of Hontiveros' husband, Francisco Baraquel Jr. at the Philippine Military Academy.

"Mamatay man ako, walang sinabi sa akin si Presidente na pumatay kayo nang pumatay," he said.

(Even if I die, the President did not tell me to kill arbitrarily)

A teary-eyed Public Attorney's Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta agreed to Dela Rosa's statement, saying there is no government policy on the killings of drug personalities.

"Mawalang galang na po kay Senator Hontiveros, wala pong pronouncement ang PAO na may pattern dito. Uulitin ko po walang polisiya ang gobyerno na pumatay nang walang awa," she said.

(With all due respect to Senator Hontiveros, there was no pronouncement from PAO that there is a pattern here. May I repeat the government has no policy to kill without mercy)

Earlier in the hearing, Dela Rosa said it is not fair to assume that there is a "pattern" in the killings in the light of the death of Delos Santos and Arnaiz.

"We are 175,000-strong na lahat nakatutok sa drug war. What do you expect? Mayroong talagang mamatay. Hindi n’yo kino-consider ang aking mga tao na namatay. I have 75 na namatay. Unfair naman," Dela Rosa said in response to Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino's question on whether he thinks there is a pattern in the killings.

(We are 175,000-strong men focusing on the drug war. What do you expect? There will be deaths. You did not consider my men who died. I have 75 men who died. It's unfair)

Dela Rosa said there 120,000 suspects arrested alive and cases have been filed against them.

Delos Santos was killed after he allegedly fired at the police officers during an anti-drug operation on August 16 in Barangay 160, Caloocan City.

Arnaiz, on the other hand, was killed after he allegedly fired shots at police officers who tried to arrest him for an alleged robbery offense in C-3 road in Caloocan City.

Delos Santos and Arnaiz are both being implicated by the police in the illegal drug operations but their respective families denied the accusations. (SunStar Philippines)

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