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| Public Attorney's Office Chief Persida Acosta, photo from ABS-CBN News |
"Kawawa naman ang mga pulis na handang ibuwis ang kanilang buhay para sa inang bayan, parang nalalahat na sila. Wala po kaming sinasabing pattern kasi laging nababanggit yung PAO."
An emotional Public Attorney's Office Chief Persida Acosta appeared at the Senate hearing into the deaths in the drug war came to the defense of the Philippine National Police Director Ronald Dela Rosa after Senator Risa Hontiveros slammed what is perceived as state sponsored killings by the PNP.
Acosta denied the impression of the Liberal senator that PNP is being used by the Rodrigo Duterte administration as a "killing machine".
"Walang polisiya ang gobyerno na pumatay ng walang awa. Ako mismo ang makakapagpapatotoo na walang utos sa pulis na pumatay na walang kaawa-awa," Acosta said.
She added that her office caters to more than 80,000 drug clients who were apprehended by the PNP.
Acosta cited the provisions of the Revised Penal Code, where policemen are given the right to defend themselves and justify their acts in fulfillment in their duty.
PAO said she admitted that the cases of Kian Delos Santos and Carl Arnaiz had similarities but there were no patterns in the deaths of all drug addicts, contending the statement of Hontiveros whom she said "misquoted" them.
"Wala pong pronouncement ang PAO na may pattern dito. Wala kaming sinasabing ganon I swear to God. Huwag ho kami i-quote,"
Prior to Acosta's piece, Dela Rosa wept in the hearing, asking the senator not to condition the minds of the public that police are ordered to kill.
Source: Rappler
