Bato says he wanted Parojinog alive

MANILA, Philippines — If Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa would be asked, he wanted Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. to be alive and be brought to justice.

Dela Rosa was somehow contented on what happened as long as his men are safe and sound.

“I want him alive to answer charges pero kung lumaban siya then I want my men alive than him,” he said in a press briefing yesterday at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

READ: Bato on Parojinog raid: Cutting CCTV cameras wrong

“Palagi ko sinasabi na after the smoke is clear it should be the good man standing and bad man laying the pavement.”

Operatives of the Crime and Investigation and Detection Group stormed Parojinog’s residence during the wee hours on Sunday, serving search warrants released by a local court for alleged illegal drugs and unlicensed firearms.

The raiding team claimed they "met with volleys of fire from (the mayor's) security” forcing them to retaliate. However, the camp of the Parojinogs said they were meant to be killed and it was a rubout.

READ: Bato: Every time is a legal time to serve search warrant

“I know they are meant to be operated upon not to be liquidated. Depende na ‘yun kung manlaban sila then magkakaroon ng engkwentro then wala na tayong control kapag ganun, pero kapag sinabi mo na pinasok sila doon para patayin talaga mahirap naman ‘yun,” Dela Rosa continued as he believes that the operation was legitimate.

CIDG Director Roel Obusan, meanwhile, stressed that they were left with no choice but to fire back.

“We are not meant to kill, may eight pa tayong nahuli especially ‘yung mga armed members nila na sumuko naman. Kaya it erases the doubt or claim ng lawyer na they are meant to be liquidated kasi if that's is really our intention namatay na sana lahat,” Obusan said in the same press briefing.

“We really intend to bring them to justice and for them to enter justice alive kaya lang nangyayari minsan may laban kasi sila nag-maintain nung private army. We were fired upon before entering the premises, may nasugatan kaming pulis sa firefight so ganun talaga nangyari kapag may lalaban,” the deparment head added.

READ: Police chief on Ozamiz mayor’s death: More to come

Obusan advised the public to not resist arrest and just simply surrender themselves to authorities.

“Sa susunod huwag na tayo maglabanan, mag-surrender na lang at mag-heed sa pakiusap ng ating president,” he said.

The bloody raid raised doubts from various lawmakers, including Sens. Francis Escudero and Francis Pangilinan who questioned the timing of the operation.