'I want to cry with them,' says PNP chief after meeting 3 senior police officers

MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte may reveal more police officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Duterte yesterday named Deputy Director-General Marcelo Garbo Jr. (retired), Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot (retired), Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz, Director Joel Pagdilao, and Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio as the police officers allegedly protecting drug syndicates.

''Hindi sa listahan ko pero sa listahan ni presidente, mukhang meron pa. I don’t want to preempt him from divulging those additional information. Hintayin na lang niyo kung meron siyang ilalabas, but my observation is I think may sasabihin pa siyang additional na mga pangalan,'' Dela Rosa said.

The five police officers, two of whom have retired, have all denied the allegations.

Publicly shamed by the president on Tuesday, they decried the supposed lack of due process and said the president was fed with wrong information.

Dela Rosa said he met today with Diaz, Pagdilao and Tinio to discuss the allegations.

The police chief refused to reveal what was discussed during the meeting but he said the three were saddened after being implicated in the illegal drug trade.

Pagdilao, Tinio and Diaz are all Dela Rosa's upperclass men. He said it pains him to see the three being linked to the illegal drug trade, but added ''we agreed that the information is coming from the president."

''I want to cry with them,'' he said.

Dela Rosa said the cases of the three generals will be handled by the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

''They assured me that they will give their 100 percent cooperation to the investigation that will be conducted by the Napolcom,'' Dela Rosa said.

''My advice to them is face the music."