More cops, including those caught by task force, to be sent to Marawi

July 5, 2017

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said Wednesday more police officers will be deployed in Marawi City to join the government fighting force  against the Maute group. "Yes, they will increase. We will look who we can put there because we really need new police there. Especially the police officers that is not from there because the  implementation of law has shortcomings because of the culture there", Dela Rosa said. He said the cops who reside in Marawi do not want to fight because they fear for the safety of their family. The police officers caught by the Counter-Intelligence Task Force might be deployed in Marawi. The cops that will be assigned in Marawi will do the same task as the other police officers with "no exemption", Dela Rosa said. "They can show what they got there. In fairness to them, granting that they did something wrong, if we send them there that could be…giving them the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves", he said. Around 160 cops mostly involved in drug related cases were dismissed, 84 cops are facing dismissal and 37 are detained with charges filed against them in court, he said. Dela Rosa said  he has "no time" to sign the confirmation for dismissal of 84 police officers but he is reviewing it "slowly". "Go to my office, there are a lot of boxes with folders. They are heavy. I will sign them slowly since I have a lot of activities outside. No time for love, no time for signature, not enough time,” he said. (Alanna Ambi/DMS)