Extrajudicial killings of 'ninja cops'? Bato says no

MANILA, Philippines – Despite illegal activities of some cops, Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa he does not want to the so-called "ninja cops" to be neutralized by extrajudicial means.

Dela Rosa on Tuesday said that he is hurt by the misconduct of his subordinates and he wants to heal his wounds by “eliminating” the erring cops, who presumably recycle shabu and protect drug lords.

“Kailangan talaga silang ma-eliminate kasi sobra na ‘yung ginagawa nila. Sobrang kahihiyan, sobrang problema. But again tao ko pa rin ‘yan. Kahit gaano kasama yan, mga tao ko pa rin ‘yan. ‘Yung gusto kong mangyari sa kanila is legal na pamamaraan. Ayaw ko naman na isa-salvage yung mga tao ko,” the PNP chief said on the sidelines of his visit to Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Kahit gaano kasama, kahit gaano kagalit ayaw ko naman na silang mamamatay sa pamamaraan na inconsistent with our sole duty to uphold the law, di’ba? Mga tao ko pa rin yan, masasaktan pa rin ako ‘pag sila'y namatay sa extra judicial. Gawin nating legal,” he added.

While he wants to neutralize the ninja cops, the PNP chief opted for a legal way, by entrapment operation.

“Kung meron kayong impormasyon about dito sa mga tao na to, eh trabahuin natin. Gahaman sa pera ‘yang mga gago na ‘yan eh siguradong kakagat at kakagat yan sa buy bust operation. Sigurado ‘yan,” he said.

Dela Rosa also urged the public to give them information on ninja cops which could earn them P2 million from President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Kung meron kayong alam na mga pulis diyan na nagre-recycle ng shabu, nanghuhuli tapos binebenta at nangongotong, tumatanggap ng pera galing sa mga drug lords, sabihin niyo satin at mayroon tayong P2 million ‘pag nahuli yan,” he said.

Duterte described on Monday the ninja cops who are policemen in service protecting drug lords, accepting protection money and re-selling drugs confiscated during operations.

He vowed to go after the ninja cops as part of his campaign to clean the country from illegal drugs in three to six months.