ILOILO CITY, June 23 — Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Friday inspected the Maasin town police station in Iloilo which was recently raided by about 50 members of the New People’s Army and said he was considering to send the relieved officers to Marawi City.
Dela Rosa also talked with nine policemen who were on duty during the raid and expressed his disappointment.
“I am very disappointed. They were nine here but none of them fired a single bullet. It means that the will to fight is not there, is absent,” Dela Rosa stressed in an interview with the media.
“I told them that they have lost the opportunity to prove their worth as policemen. They should have fought hard because that is already their chance,” he added.
While the investigation is still ongoing about the raid, Dela Rosa said there would be charges mainly for “serious neglect of duty” especially its chief of police Senior Inspector Ray Cordero who was not at the barracks when the incident happened.
Dela Rosa said that the nine policemen explained to him that they were not able to fight as the rebels were able to disarm them and held them at gunpoint.
Dela Rosa reminded all police stations personnel all over the country of their responsibility of “fighting till death, once attacked.”
“Once you take oath as a police officer, you must be ready to die anytime,” he stressed.
Recently, 24 policemen assigned at the Maasin police station were sacked after the raid incident.
But Dela Rosa said that he was considering sending them to Marawi City to augment police and military forces.
“I need personnel in Marawi now. So maybe I should sent them there because my priority are those policemen who were involved in extortion and those who are ninja cops,” he said.
Dela Rosa, noting the sub-standard Maasin police station, said he was willing to give funds for the construction of a standard police station as long as they comply with the requirements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters and based on the availability of 400 square meters donated lot donated.
After the inspection, Dela Rosa also took the opportunity to talk to the residents of Maasin town and asked for their “mutual cooperation and protection” with the police.
He also advised them to stay “vigilant” and not to be afraid of the rebels.
Dela Rosa said that the NPA took the opportunity to raid the police station last Sunday after the 525 soldiers of the 61st Infantry Battalion based in Miag-ao, Iloilo flew to Marawi City to augment the government forces last Saturday.(Cindy B. Ferrer/PNA)