PNP chief Dela Rosa told to shape up

PNP chief Dela Rosa told to shape up (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA—Lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Monday urged Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa” to shape up and reassess his leadership amid calls for the beleaguered police official to resign.

In a press conference, AKO Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin said the reported murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo inside the Camp Crame was the “height of ineptitude and height of disrespect” toward law enforcement, considering that it happened a few steps away from Dela Rosa’s office.

Garbin advised the embattled PNP chief to change his demeanor and style of leadership.

“General Bato has to reassess whether his leadership in PNP still calls for respect, (if) he still commands respect over his subordinates,” Garbin said.

“Second, the least that he can do right now is to conduct summary proceedings… then dismiss all those involved in the killings of the Korean national,” he added.

Calls for Dela Rosa’s resignation came after Jee was reportedly abducted by policemen last year and eventually killed in Camp Crame earlier this week.

Dela Rosa also came under fire for attending the concert of Canadian singer Bryan Adams the same day the Korean businessman was killed.

For his part, CIBAC Partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna said Dela Rosa should be given a second chance provided that he “shapes up” and prove that he “deserves the trust” of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“He should cooperate with the investigating body in the case build-up against police officers who are involved in the murder of the Korean so that he could prove that he deserves the trust of the President,” Tugna said.

Meanwhile, Kabayan Partylist Rep. Harry Roque noted that calls for Dela Rosa’s resignation are just a “band-aid solution” to the deeper problem of a flawed criminal justice system.

Roque also urged Dela Rosa to concentrate on the difficult process of rebuilding PNP.