MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Friday defended neophyte Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s remark that “shit happens” during anti-drug operations, saying that the former chief of police was just explaining that “accidents” are bound to happen during police operations.

“Ang ibig niya lang sabihin, accidents do happen,” Presidential Spokesman Salavdor Panelo said in an interview in Malacañang.

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“Pero when these people subject of police operations fight back and shoot their way out of being arrested, siyempre ibang usapan na ‘yon,” he added.

Panelo claimed that Dela Rosa, who was the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from July 2016 to April 2018, did not mean to offend anybody with his statement.

“Expression lang’ yun ni Senator Bato,” Panelo said.

“Kasi ‘pag when you say ‘shit’ diba it means na masamang mangyari. Kumbaga mabaho, or what,” he added.

Dela Rosa issued the controversial remark when asked to comment on the reported death of a 3-year-old girl, who was fatally shot in a police anti-drug operation after her father supposedly used her as a human shield during a shootout with policemen in Rodriguez, Rizal.

The girl was hit by a bullet in the neck and died a day later in the hospital.

READ: Shit happens, Bato says after a child got killed in drug bust

READ: 3-year-old girl hit in drug buy-bust crossfire dies

Panelo also condemned the death of the child but insisted that some drug personalities are really putting up a fight during anti-drug operations as evidenced by the deaths of some police officers.

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“We’re sad that a minor became a casualty. But since it was a police operation and even a member of the police force is a fatality, then ibig sabihin talagang legit, naglabanan talaga,” Panelo said.

Asked if police need to be more careful to avoid similar incidents, the Palace official said authorities know what they are doing.

“Kahit ka pa careful kung nasa gitna, nagkakabarilin tapos pumasok ka… Accidents happen,” he sadi.

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