116th PNP Day Rites in Leyte; Bato announces Marawi PNP station retaken from Mautes

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines — Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa hailed the police force in Marawi City for their recovery of the entire police station earlier seized by Maute terrorists.

Dela Rosa yesterday announced the accomplishment of the Marawi Police in his speech during the 116th PNP Day celebration held at Camp Ruperto Kangleon in Palo, Leyte, the headquarters of the Police Regional Office-8.

"I just received a call from Task Force Marawi, informing me that they have just retaken the Marawi City Police Station ... and so im happy … gusto kong maiyak sa tuwa. Yung police station natin is our source of pride and identity, at kapag yan ay naagaw ng kalaban para na ring tayo naagawan ng identity, So ngayon na na-recover na ng ating kasundaluhan at kapolisan ang ating police station ... I congratulate everyone for the hard work. They also recovered the skeletal remains of the deputy police chief of Marawi and the police investigator who were murdered by the ISIS inside the police station," Dela Rosa told the crowd.

He said a Maranao police officer was also among those who were killed and whose skeletal remains are being gathered by government troopers in Marawi, presently securing the city from the Maute invaders.

On the anti-illegal drugs war, Dela Rosa admitted that the PNP is now facing a crisis in its implementation,saying that there are still policemen involved or in cahoots with drug operators or syndicates.

He however encouraged the policemen in Eastern Visayas to continue their vigilance and full support to the government’s anti-drug campaign.

Dela Rosa said that the PNP, under his watch, has already achieved tremendous gains in just 12 months since he assumed office, under the Double Barrel Reloaded program against drug proliferation. There has been a significant decline in drugs supply, some shabu laboratories were dismantled, and more drug personalities, including high value targets have been neutralized, he said.

"Sana kung hindi tayo nalulusutan ng mga taga Bureau of Customs, wala na sanang druga sa bansa at wala na sanang supply dito nang shabu," he said in his speech.

PNP records, he said, showed that a total of 1.3 million drug users have surrendered, and that at least 95,000 drug pushers were arrested in more than 60 police operations nationwide.

"A total of 95,000 arrests as compared to 4,000 na namatay dun sa police operations, shows that we have no intention to kill drug suspects, otherwise patay na sana itong mga 95,000 suspects who were arrested,” Dela Rosa told the PRO-8 police force and the crowd that attended the annual Police Day celebration. (FREEMAN)