Philippine National Police Director General Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa on Monday blasted the Catholic Bishops鈥� Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for dismissing as mere 鈥渢heatrics鈥� the police strategy requiring officers to bring Bibles and rosaries during 鈥淥plan Tokhang鈥� (knock and plead) operations.
鈥淭hey are bad, aren鈥檛 they? I will bluntly tell them that they look down on policemen,鈥� Dela Rosa said of the bishops in a press conference.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the worst comment I have heard from the religious sector. Our intention is good, but they are making it appear that we are the bad people,鈥� he added.
The PNP chief said the priests and bishops 鈥渄o not have a monopoly鈥� of the Catholic religion.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 mean that you bishops and priests 鈥� are the only ones with the right to hold the Bible and wear the rosary 鈥� It does not mean that because we are just policemen, we are not worthy,鈥� said Dela Rosa, who described himself as a 鈥渄evout Catholic.鈥�
He said the clergy had 鈥渁lienated many Catholics鈥� with their 鈥渙wn theatrics,鈥� resulting in people renouncing the faith. 鈥擭ikko Dizon