Senator de la Rosa reminds PNP of doctrine ‘to save lives’

IT was another Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa who presided over the public hearing on the police operation at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City on September 6.

The senator reminded the Philippine National Police (PNP) contingent hunting KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy of their doctrine. “We are here to save lives, no matter what? Meron Tayong doktrina sa PNP, no matter the criminal, yung suspek, bahala na makalayas ‘yan kesa makapatay tayo, makakitil tayo ng isang buhay.”

His image was completely different from when he was director general of the PNP, the main executor of then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs, which resulted in more than 12,000 deaths of suspected drug users.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) had already named De la Rosa as a suspect in July last year, along with four other former and current PNP officials, for alleged involvement in the drug-related deaths during his time as PNP leader.

The prosecutor at The Hague District Court said in a July 3 document that there are “reasonable grounds to believe” that De la Rosa and the four other police officers had “concrete involvement” in the systematic killings of Duterte’s ruthless anti-drug campaign.

During the joint public hearing of the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights, Public Order and Dangerous Drugs in Davao City, De la Rosa repeatedly said he would not side with either the KOJC or the PNP in the two-week standoff

However, during the hearing, which lasted nearly seven hours, the senator continually reminded the police officers that they must maintain law and order and respect human rights and the Constitution in their search for Quiboloy.

Well, it’s no surprise that de la Rosa is siding with the self-proclaimed son of God and owner of the universe. As recently as March, the senator described him as a “highly respected person,” even offering to rope in the KOJC leader if he decides to face the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

The commission chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros has been investigating the alleged sexual assault, forced labor, exploitation and other human rights violations being hurled at Quiboloy and KOJC. It has held Quiboloy in contempt of court for ignoring a subpoena issued by the commission in late February, which required him to appear and testify and later issued an arrest warrant to compel him to appear in the panel’s investigation into the alleged abuses at KOJC.

“If (Quiboloy) wants, I will be his security. Even if I am just a one-man security team, I will intercept any threat to his life. I will not allow anyone who poses a threat to his safety to get through,” de la Rosa said in Filipino during an interview on AM station Radyo 630. “I will volunteer to be his security if he decides to face the Senate — that will be better. Ultimately, the decision is his and his alone.”

The hearing in Davao City on September 6 provided the KOJC with an opportunity to air its grievances against the PNP and its alleged illegal activities on the 30-hectare property near the Davao International Airport.

KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon, Sonshine Media Network International consultant Jay Sonza and other Quiboloy associates took turns accusing the PNP of human rights and rule of law violations, alleging a “rape” of the 1987 Constitution, under the guise of issuing an arrest warrant for Quiboloy.

Torreon said the hearing, attended by Senators de la Rosa, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Robinhood Padilla, was a “gift” to the KOJC, which is “under attack.” He said the PNP had turned the KOJC compound into a police garrison, which members of the religious group could no longer use freely.

Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, Davao regional police chief, denied most of the KOJC’s allegations, claiming that the PNP is maintaining a policy of maximum tolerance amid the chaos.

Sonza alleged that the PNP disabled the KOJC’s water supply system and shut down the closed-circuit television system in the basement of the Jose Maria College building so they could dig a tunnel without being watched. Torre said the allegations were untrue.

It was a disorderly hearing that de la Rosa presided over. Emergency workers spoke without being recognized. At one point, a police officer had to interrupt him and ask why an emergency worker was allowed to raise a disorderly matter.

Yes, Torreon raised a point of order, not once but twice, as Torre disputed the KOJC’s claims of misconduct and other accusations against the PNP. De la Rosa realized that only committee members could raise a point of order after the police officer called his attention to it.