Senator Ronald ”Bato” Dela Rosa maintained Saturday that he did not order Police Colonel Jovie Espenido to kill anybody.
“Basta ang alam ko lang na instruction ko sa kanya noong pinadala ko siya sa Albuera [ay] go to Albuera. Tapusin mo yung problema sa druga doon. Linisin mo yung Albuera sa droga at banggain mo yung Espinosa drug syndicate kasi mayor yan ngayon,” said Dela Rosa in a radio interview.
(All I know is that my only instruction when I sent him to Albuera [was], go to Albuera. Finish the drug problem there. Clean Albuera of illegal drugs and address the Espinosa drug syndicate because he was the current mayor.)
“Wala naman akong instruction na patayin si ganito, patayin nyo lahat ng sinong gusto nyo patayin,” he added.
(I didn’t give him any instruction to kill anybody.)
The former Philippine National Police chief’s statement comes days after Espenido made the allegations during a House probe.
Bato also slammed Espenido for making his own “interpretation” about his marching order.
“Bakit patayan agad ang iniisip niya kapag [sinabi ko na] banggain mo [ang] sindikato? Pag sinabi kong banggain, banggain mo. Hulihin mo, operate mo… May problema siya kung gano’n ang kanyang pag-iisip, pulis siya eh,” he added.
(Why did he immediately think of killing when my instruction is to go after them? I meant to arrest them through operations. He has a problem if he thinks that way despite being a cop.)
He also denied Espenido’s claim that he was a “protector” of some personalities linked to illegal drugs.
“I bet my own life and the life of my family kung ako’y naging protector ng droga. Isugal ko, isugal ko yung buhay ng buong pamilya ko kung ako ay protector ng droga,” he said.
(I bet my own life and the life of my family if I have ever been a protector of drugs.)
On the claim that the PNP was the biggest crime syndicate in the country, Dela Rosa said that it was a baseless and heartbreaking statement.
“Coming from him na nasa active service, nasa PNP pa, nakauniporme pa nga siya nang sinabi niya yan eh. So, ibig ba niya sabihin na yung sweldo niya na natanggap niya sa PNP na pinapakain niya, ginagamit niya sa edukasyon ng mga anak nya, pinapakain niya sa anak niya… yun pala ay pera na galing sa sindikato?” the senator asked.
(Coming from him in active service and in the PNP, he was even in uniform when he said that. Does he mean that the salary that he receives from the PNP that he uses to feed and educate his children is money from syndicates?) —Jiselle Anne Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
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