MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief now senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa yesterday expressed concern that more police officers are getting involved in recent road rage incidents and abuse of police power.
“Let us go back to the drawing board and find out the root cause of these incidents,” Dela Rosa said in a dwIZ interview.
He cited the excessive use of force by the six Navotas police officers who “panic-fired” at a river in pursuit of a shooting suspect. The operation led to the death of Jerhode Baltazar, 17, in a case of mistaken identity.
Baltazar’s death prompted Dela Rosa, who presided over the Senate inquiry into the teenager’s death, to urge the police to bring back the use of batons and whistles especially for trigger-happy cops.
In another incident involving a rogue police officer, Dela Rosa expressed hope that dismissed police officer Wilfredo Gonzales – caught on video smacking the head of a still unidentified cyclist and drawing his firearm in Quezon City last month – would attend the Senate public order committee hearing on road rage incidents on Tuesday.
The Senate will summon Gonzales if he fails to attend. “If he snubs our subpoena, he will be cited in contempt,” Dela Rosa said.
The former police chief recalled that it was him who signed the suspension papers of Gonzales, who was a patrolman throughout his service in the police, before he retired, but was eventually dismissed due to a previous gun-toting incident.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa minced no words in expressing his disappointment at Mandaluyong police chief Col. Cesar Gerente, who tested positive for drugs.
“Administrative and criminal charges should be filed against him as part of the internal cleansing in the police force,” Dela Rosa said.
The former police chief pushed for the retraining of those in the police force to prevent their involvement in excessive police force, road rage incidents and illegal substance use.