MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson questioned the entire police force of their sworn duty of “to serve and protect” following the “absurdity” of the involvement of rouge cops in the kidnap-slay case of a Korean businessman.
“Do our men in uniform live by the honor and pride of their police badges and outfits? Or should our people live in horror and fear, unsure of their safety, at the sight of police officers in their neighborhood and even in their homes?” Lacson said in his opening statement at the start of the Senate committee on public order's probe into “tokhang for ransom.”
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The senator said the recent incident is enough for the PNP to lose the trust and respect of the public.
Lacson described the killing of Jee Ick-Joo as tragic and unfortunate after findings revealed he was strangled to death inside the PNP national headquarters.
He brought up the incident of Mamasapano where 44 members of the Special Action Force was killed in an operation as an irony of what they will probe today.
However, as the nation commemorated the second year of the bloody clash, Lacson said they found themselves in another inquiry.
“Everyone in this hall will agree that nowhere else could we find a better display of the PNP’s badge of service, honor and justice than that displayed by 44 Special Action Force troopers,” Lacson said.
“Twenty-one months forward, we find ourselves back in this same hall of the Senate for yet another legislative inquiry in aid of legislation,” he added.