EDITORIAL — As if he wasn’t a cop

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has criticized the Philippine National Police for their failure to locate Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader and wanted fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

Dela Rosa, who is leading the Senate subcommittee on justice and human rights in investigating the PNP’s operations at the KOJC compound in Davao City, didn’t mince words when calling out the organization he used to head.

“Isipin niyo, halos dalawang linggo na silang nag-barricade. Nakapag-detect na sila ng heartbeat sa ilalim ng lupa. Nag-implementa pa ng ‘whole of government approach’ noong naghukay sila sa basement ng school campus. Ngunit, hindi pa rin naging successful ang implementasyon ng warrant of arrest. Hindi pa rin makita ang dapat makita,” he said.

Of course, he can say anything he wants, including what might seem to him as constructive criticism, but dela Rosa is acting like he wasn’t once a policeman himself. And as a policeman, especially in a country like ours where authorities lack resources while rich fugitives never lack for resources or political connections, he should know that getting their man isn’t always that easy or that quick.

Another issue he has brought up is how long the PNP have been staying at the KOJC Compound. Again, he seems to be acting like he wasn’t a policeman before. If the police have good info that someone wanted is in a particular place then they aren’t going to let him slip away.

Wouldn’t he be doing the same had he received a similar mission during his stint as PNP chief and make sure they leave no stone unturned? Why is he calling out the policemen for just doing their job?

There’s another issue here that’s worth mentioning; should dela Rosa be heading this investigation in the first place? Everyone who has paid attention to politics as well as the news should know how dela Rosa is connected to the fugitive pastor both personally and through his boss, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

We hope that when the situation comes down to it, he can really be impartial and act as a senator of the republic and not as someone with connections to a fugitive.