MANILA - The country's top cop has claimed that detainees of a recently uncovered "secret jail" only lied to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in hopes they will be released.

Philippine National Police Chief, Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said Monday suspects found at a hidden detention in Raxabago police station in Tondo have admitted lying to the CHR.

"Sabi nung isa, sir sinabi namin 'yun, nagsinungaling kami sir, para, akala namin na mailabas kami ng CHR sa kulungan after that inspection. Sinabi namin yun kasi akala namin matulungan kaming mailabas kami sa kulungan," Dela Rosa said.

(One of them told me they lied because they thought CHR could help facilitate their release after their inspection.)

Dela Rosa: Suspects locked up inside 'secret cell' told me that they lied to CHR pic.twitter.com/ByIcR2opBL — Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) May 1, 2017

"Paano man sila mailabas, may kaso man sila na kinakaharap, paano sila mailabas? So 'yun nga nagbago yung kanilang pananalita ng tinanong ko," he added.

(How will they get out, they have cases. So they took back their earlier claims).

Last week, CHR followed a tip and found a dozen individuals crouched in a cramped cell, deliberately hidden behind a bookshelf at a police station.

The detainees said they had been held there for about a week after being arrested on drug allegations and that police had demanded up to P17,000 for their release.

The suspects have since been transferred to a bigger jail and have undergone inquest proceedings.

Dela Rosa on Saturday also defended his men's actions, saying "as long as the prisoners were not tortured or extorted, it’s okay with me."

-- With reports from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News