EDITORIAL - Too early to pin culpability on Bato

The murder of a kidnapped Korean by rogue policemen right inside the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame prompted Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to swiftly call for the resignation of PNP chief Ronald de la Rosa. On its face, it is very difficult to argue against the call. The incident is indeed a slap in the face of the police, which de la Rosa heads.

Nevertheless, the call is too swift, especially from the leader of a branch of government that is not exactly a paragon of quickness and honesty. Alvarez, as head of the House of Representatives, is expected to be a man of wisdom and erudition, qualities he needs to enable him to navigate safely through what is sometimes derisively characterized as a pool of crocodiles.

Alvarez, rather than swiftly condemning de la Rosa and calling for his head, should instead become very suspicious about the strange circumstances surrounding the killing of the kidnapped Korean right inside Camp Crame. Alvarez might want to ask his own self why, in heaven's name, would anyone want to commit a heinous crime right inside the main camp of the police.

Either the perpetrators of the crime are very stupid, or there is a purpose to the killing other than the killing itself. The swift condemnation of de la Rosa is in itself a clue. Isn't it possible that the killing was done inside Camp Crame purposely to create an uproar against de la Rosa? And isn't it just as possible that when you aim at de la Rosa, there is a big chance you hit the president as well?

It may be, as Alvarez said, that the brazenness of the killing could be an indication of an erosion in confidence or lack of respect on the part of the police organization for de la Rosa. But there are as many theories about the killing as there are people making them. That of Alvarez is just one of them. What is important is that the incident is too crucial to the integrity of the police as an institution to be left to the theory or say-so of one official, no matter how highly-placed.

While there is such a thing as command responsibility, it is doubtful if such a principle can be made to apply in this case. At the very least, a more thorough investigation should be in order. In fact, Alvarez himself may want to call for a House inquiry as Congress is all too often wont to do, that is if he has not done so already. However the incident might be dealt with, it must not be let go without the nation knowing the truth in all its sordid details.