President Rodrigo Duterte orders the police officers facing various charges to be detailed in Basilan for two years during their presentation to the President in Malacañan on February 7, 2017. The President gave the errant cops 15 days to decide whether to resign or accept their re-assignment in Basilan. (Robinson Niñal/Presidential Photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — More than 200 policemen were placed in a hot seat following their reprimand from President Rodrigo Duterte and a directive to send them to the anti-terror campaign in Basilan island in Mindanao.
The policemen came from the National Capital Region who were presented personally to the President by PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa in Malacañang.
Duterte ordered the police to prepare for their deployment to Basilan.
“Prepare to move out. I’ll give you two weeks from now. Fifteen days. Start to move out. If you do not want to go there go to your superior officer and tell them that you are going to resign,” Duterte told the policemen who were in formation.
Duterte also warned the police to behave should they choose to retire.
He said many of the policemen who were dismissed had joined syndicates ”because they already know the trade.”
“Many of police, those who were dismissed, they are the members of the syndicate because they, you, have knowledge. You will be the most dangerous criminals if you are removed from the police,” he said.
Duterte threatened the police that he is not afraid of killing them in front of the public.
“P***** i** apatayin ko talaga kayo sa harap ng Pilipino. Pasensya na lang, di ako magdalawang killing kayo ang ma-EJK talaga totoo yan. Pag naalis kayo, if you opt to retire, then behave. (Son of a b****, I will kill you in front of the Filipinos. Forgive me but I will not hesitate. You will really be victims of-EJK (extrajudicial killing). If you opt to retire then behave),” he said.
Duterte added that he will create a battalion to keep track of their movements.
“Look for jobs that are clean. And you policemen who are former syndicates, don’t join them because I will create a battalion to keep track of your movements,” he said.
“It has been the sad experience of this country that the most vicious criminals, many of them are ex-police or sometimes ex military man,” he said.
Duterte asked the policemen to stay in Basilan for two years.
He already turned down Dela Rosa’s suggestion that they undergo retraining.
Dela Rosa has clarified that “not all the police were scalawags”. Some of them, he said, were involved in minor offenses. (davaotoday.com)
