New PNP chief warns troops against golf, gambling
HIS 48-hour ultimatum lapsing without rogue policemen surrendering, Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa is plotting his next move: forcing law enforcers involved in illegal drugs out by “beating” them repeatedly, like the chicken in Baguio’s popular “pinikpikan” dish.
“They [rogue policemen] are tough… I’m also surprised,” de la Rosa told reporters after flag-raising ceremony on Monday at the Camp Crame (Quezon City) headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Tahimik na lang ako, basta deep inside my heart, galit ako [I will just keep quiet, but deep inside my heart, I’m angry],” he said.
But the new PNP chief could not help it and continued to talk tough: hardened law-breakers in the 160,000-strong police force would have to be softened up.
“Alam mo `yung, sa Baguio, `yung manok na pinikpikan? Pipikpikin muna bago katayin. Pipikpikin muna, manok na pinikpikan [Do you know the chicken pinikpikan in Baguio?
They beat the chicken repeatedly before it’s slaughtered. That’s chicken pinikpikan],” de la Rosa said.
He added that he was alarmed that nine out of 2,405 policemen who went through a surprise drug test last Friday tested positive.
Another test will be done to confirm the findings, but de la Rosa said those who had tested positive would face charges and be ultimately dismissed.
First to undergo the test were 75 top police officials who attended de la Rosa’s first command conference at Camp Crame last Friday.
None of the senior police officials present tested positive, the PNP chief said.
A police intelligence source earlier said the PNP already had a list of around 1,500 policemen involved in illegal drugs, from the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1) up to Police Superintendent, equivalent to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the military.
Information reaching Camp Crame indicated that these rogue policemen had begun to lie low after the election victory of President Rodrigo Duterte, who had promised to end crime and the illegal drug trade in six months, the intelligence source said.
No golf, gambling
De la Rosa further tightened his grip on the PNP, banning golf during office hours as well as barring all police personnel from going to casinos, cockpits and other gambling joints.
“Pasensya na `yung mga golfers diyan. Magalit na kayo kung magalit basta magtrabaho muna tayo. Mamaya na `yung golf. During office hours, walang magkita diyan sa golf course [Sorry to the golfers out there. You can get mad at me if you want but let’s do our jobs first, play golf later. During office hours no one should be on the golf course],” he said in his speech during Monday’s flag-raising ceremony.
“Pag meron ako makita pulis natin nasa sabungan o nasa casino, malilintikan kayo sa akin [If I see any of our policemen in the cockpit or casino, you will answer to me],” de la Rosa warned.
When reporters later asked him what punishment awaited police officials found violating his directives, de la Rosa went mum.
“Hintayin ninyo, basta mayroong punishment na darating diyan. May darating… So ngayon, warning lang `yun [Just wait. There will be punishment. What I said was a warning],” he also told reporters.