"Personally, sana huwag," Lorenzana said in a press briefing. Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa was also present, seated few inches away from the Defense secretary.
The PNP chief was the one who ordered the transfer of the two abusive officers to Marawi City, as well as other rogue police officers to Basilan. However, this decision of his was criticized by many, accusing him of turning Mindanao into a dumping site for useless government troops.
"You should send me the best people here. We need good people to come here and fight this war. We don’t need ‘yung patapon," Lorenzana added.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong also opposed to the decision of Dela Rosa, stating that Marawi City is not a trash bin.
"To use the Marawi Seige as a punishment shows insensitivity. Hindi po tayo dito basurahan para sa mga abosado at tiwaling pulis ng Metro Manila," Adiong wrote in his official social media account.
However, the PNP chief doesn't see anything wrong with sending scalawag troops to Marawi City. His reason was so to help them "reform themselves". The previously sent rogue cops in Basilan were praised for their efforts to prove their worth in their service.
"If you throw people here who are problematic, bibigyan lang natin ng problema ‘yung mga commander dito," Lorenzana pointed out.
Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay expressed her gratitude of her constituents to the transferred police officers for helping in rescuing villagers trapped in the flooded villages.
"Rescue and relief work was made lighter with the help of the responding police teams. They are just as patriotic as we are. They deserve help to rise again as good police officers," she said.
"We also ought to thank the military and different agencies, including our provincial government and the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for extending help to the calamity-stricken residents of Lamitan City," she added.
Among the 300 of the scalawag policemen, only 54 board the Air Force C-130 plane from Manila to the province of Basilan.
They were welcomed by Chief Superintendent Theodore Sindac, police director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) upon reaching the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB).
Most of the cops were facing administrativ cases for misdemeanor. They were escorted to the Naval Force Western Mindanao (NFWM) and then were transported to Landing Ship Transport (LST).
Sindac said the police cops won't be retrained before joining the operations with their local police and military troops.
"Dito masusubukan ang tapang at galing nila. As you know ARMM is the home of the brave policemen. Sa Basilan at sa south nanggagaling ang maraming Medal of Valor award. Dito nanggagaling ang naging AFP at PNP chief at dito rin umaangat ang ranggo dahil dito nasusubukan ang galing at tapang ng mga na-assign," he said.
Source: Philstar
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