Bato slams CBCP over comment on cops bringing Bible, rosary in anti-drug ops

“You don’t have the monopoly of the Roman Catholic religion!” Dela Rosa said during a press briefing. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa slammed the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) following its recent criticism against the police force bringing Bible and rosary when conducting “Oplan Tokhang.”

“You don’t have the monopoly of the Roman Catholic religion!” Dela Rosa said during a press briefing.

“Porke’t kayo ang mga obispo, kayo ang mga pari, kayo lang may karapatang maghawak ng Bibliya at magdala ng rosary [Because you are bishops, you are priests, you are the only ones who have rights of holding the bible and rosary]?” Dela Rosa added.

Dela Rosa responded to the recent statement of executive secretary of the CBCP’s permanent committee on public affairs Fr. Jerome Secillano that bringing those religious items during police operations is good only for “theatrics” and the proposal was just an “exaggeration.”

“I will bluntly tell them: ang sama ng tingin nila sa pulis (they think badly of the police). Theatrics? Ginawa na nga namin lahat para ipakita na ang ginagawa namin ay maka-Diyos tapos sasabihin niyo theatrics (We have done everything to show you that what we are doing is Godly and you will say it’s just theatrics)?” Dela Rosa said.

“Sino masisisi kung bakit maraming umalis sa Roman Catholic religion, dahil sa ginagawa niyong pag-alienate (Who can you blame that many are leaving the Roman Catholic religion, because of your alienation),” the national police chief said.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Supt. Reynaldo Biay earlier expressed optimism that drug users would not resist arrest but instead go peacefully with the police if they would see a Bible and a rosary.

“The Bible and rosary would greatly help our efforts to convince drug pushers and users to surrender peacefully,” said Biay.