Duterte to Metro police chief: I have your back
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2019 06:09:41 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte came to the defense of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Guillermo Eleazar after he was criticized for giving a police officer a dressing down following his arrest for extortion.
In a speech during the first anniversary of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) in Malacañang on Wednesday night, Duterte said Eleazar did the right thing since there were some “idiot” policemen who were involved in unlawful acts.
“Ilan na lang natitira na puro matitino na? Kaya itong pulis, everyday there’s always an idiot. Nahuhuli. ‘Yung isa was being ano ni Eleazar. He was criticized for that (How many police officers still have integrity. In the police force, there’s always an idiot. They get arrested. One was being scolded by Eleazar. He was criticized for that),” Duterte said.
“Sabihin mo kay Eleazar, okay ‘yun. Eh ano ba naman yung ganun-ganon? Sumasayaw nga sila ng tao. Sabihin mo I have his back covered (Tell Eleazar that’s all right. What’s wrong with that? They’re even dancing with people. Tell him I have his back covered),” he said.
A video of the incident showed Eleazar grabbing Police Officer 2 Marlo Quibete by the shirt and shaking him.
Quibete, a member of the Eastern Police District’s (EPD) Drug Enforcement Unit, was arrested after allegedly demanding P200,000 from a drug suspect.
Eleazar has since apologized for his behavior, but said his action was justified.
“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin kung hindi ko nakontrol, pero ang mga taong ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nasisira. Para sa akin, dapat lang na ganun ang trato sa mga tiwali (I apologize for losing cool but cops like him are tarnishing our reputation so he deserves it),” Eleazar said.
The NCRPO chief justified his outburst and hoped it would serve as a “stern warning” to police officers.
Eleazar ordered the immediate relief of Police Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, EPD chief, and Police Colonel Noel Flores, Pasay City Police chief, citing command responsibility.
Since Duterte launched his war on drugs in 2016, over 5,000 drug suspects have been killed in police anti-illegal drug operations, based on the government data. Human rights groups, however, said the official death toll was understated.
The war on drugs has also been criticized for alleged police abuses, with critics doubting the legitimacy of the operations. CATHERINE S. VALENTE
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