Bato lashes out at media for negative news about cops

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa warned Caloocan cops to follow rule of law as the media will blow incidents proportion.

Dela Rosa will personally oversee the 30-day retraining of 1,143 sacked Caloocan policemen starting Monday.

"Observe natin dahil konting pagkamali natin palalakihin 'yan ng media. Sigurado 'yan," Dela Rosa said, receiving applause from sacked policemen.

The PNP chief also lashed out at the media for underreporting on police casualties in law enforcement operations.

"'Yung kasamahan natin si PO1... nasa ospital pa ngayon, 'yung nasaksak doon sa Caloocan na-magnify ba 'yun ng media? Hindi 'yun na-magnify. Bakit? Hindi magandang balita 'yun," he said.

The police chief said that he had to "swallow his pride" every time his men makes mistakes.

"Nilulunok ko yung pride ko every time magkakamali tayo... Hindi ako mahiya na umiyak sa harap ng tao kung ako ay nasasaktan," Dela Rosa said.

READ: Entire Caloocan City police force sacked

Despite undergoing retraining after a spate of killings of teenagers, Dela Rosa told the relieved Caloocan cops that he admires them.

Dela Rosa defended the Caloocan policemen, stressing that they were only addressing the illegal drug trade in the city.

"Masasabi ko pa rin, sa harapan nitong mga media nandito ngayon, I am still very proud of my men, of what we have done to Caloocan kahit na sabihin ninyo... na yung mga tao ko ay tarantado," the PNP chief said.

The police chief told the dismissed Caloocan cops that they should consider the retraining as an opportunity to improve their skills.

"Kinonform ko sa traning na ito ay para gawin kayong mas maka-Diyos, mas makabansa at mas makatao. 'Yan ang purpose ang training na ito," Dela Rosa said.

The training will be held at the National Capital Region Police Office headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

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