PNP defends seemingly conflicting statements de De la Rosa during Resorts World attack

June 6, 2017

The Philippine National Police defends the seemingly conflicting statements by PNP Chief General Ronald Dela Rosa during the attack in Resorts World Manila last Friday. “I don’t think it’s an irresponsible issuance of statement. The chief was on the ground and the information come in and it’s a developing situation so the information that comes in, he shares with the people who are asking, especially the media,” Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said in a briefing. It can be recalled during an interview last June 2, while the police are still clearing the area at the Resort World Manila, Dela Rosa said the gunman was killed by the operating troop but it turned out the suspect torched himself before committing suicide in one of hotel rooms. “If you notice, when we saw this as a robbery and not a terrorism action, we put it at the level of the National Capital Region Police (NCRPO), because they’re the once conducting the investigation and the progress of the investigation is being given to us by the district director himself,” Carlos said. “I hope they understand that if the information arrived and you were there beside him (Dela Rosa) the tendency is he will answer you of what he knows,” he added. Carlos said the Philippine National Police is planning to establish a “media center” in case of such an incident to avoid wrong information from being released. “It’s a learning experience for us, the next time, when such things  happen, we will establish the media centre and you will be situated outside the second perimeter,” he said. (Robina Asido/DMS)