Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana questioned Philippine National Police (PNP)’s decision to send erring cops in Marawi City.

“The PNP (is) not under my jurisdiction. I am just questioning the wisdom of doing so,” he said Thursday in an interview in Marawi.

“Their punishment should not be Marawi assignment but sanctions such as suspension without pay or outright dismissal from the service,” Lorenzana added.

Lorenzana said the PNP must send their best policemen in Mindanao.

“For me, just my personal (view), there was a time when I was the commander there in Davao and I heard they are going to send the scalawags in Mindanao, I said no. I said we should send the best people here because we need best people here and fight this war. We don’t need those erring (cops) here,” Lorenzana said.

“What will they do there? Those people do not want to go here. They were just forced and we need some good people, volunteers to come here, to help in the problem. Now, if you will throw people who are problematic, they will just give problem to the commanders,” he added.

During the same briefing, PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa defended his decision of sending scalawag policemen to Marawi City.

“Everybody has his opinion on a certain issue, I respect their opinion but I also have my opinion. Secretary Lorenzana is saying this place deserves the best cops that we can provide. Well, I guarantee you after they will be assigned here they will become the best cops that they can ever become. I guarantee you”, he said.

Dela Rosa challenged people in the press briefing, including the media, to a bet that the erring policemen can no longer do their activities in Marawi.

“I challenged: who wants to bet? If these cops can still use wooden sticks here I will lose, I am sure they will be reformed if they are here in Marawi. I’m sure of that 100 percent, they will became a very good policemen,” he said.

In response to his assurance, Lorenzana said the PNP organization may be destroyed if Dela Rosa is wrong.

“I hope he is right. Otherwise the organization will be ruined,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS