By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is mulling on the deployment of Scout Rangers to patrol Roxas Boulevard amid concerns about the presence of alleged crooked cops in Manila's gaming and entertainment district.
The President said he has directed the policemen to stay away from a casino hotel located in Paranaque City or else he would sack them and assign soldiers to guard the area.
"If I lose my patience, I’ll call the Rangers. Kayo ang mag-patrolya diyan. Diyan sa galing ng Fort Magsaysay. Mamili kayo, either the military will do the patrolling there or you go out of that place there," he said during the inauguration of the Cavite Gateway Terminal in Tanza, Cavite.
"I do not want to see any law enforcement guy there, either in uniform or in civilian clothes," he said.
Duterte said if another policeman steps inside the casino hotel, he would "call the Rangers to come down and patrol the whole of Dewey Boulevard," using the old name of Roxas Boulevard.
"You know I’m not here to declare martial law. I’ll just go ahead in what I want to do," he added.
Duterte explained that he does not want to see any policeman or even police car near Okada Manila hotel amid concerns some cops were only there to commit a crime. He told the cops to "better go away" or else "I will dismiss you from service."
"Iyong Okada diyan p****** i**** ‘yan. I’d like to announce, lahat kayong mga pulis umalis kayo diyan. It’s crawling with usurers, kidnappers. So ako ang magdaan diyan ‘pag nakita ko kayo p**, sagasaan ko kayo," he said.
"What are the policemen doing there? What’s your business? If you violate my order, I will dismiss you from the service. That’s an order because you are there to commit a crime. Kung wala kayong --- you are not assigned there. Or I will assign the Army to patrol. Which do you want? Magbarilan kayo o sumunod kayo?" he said.
The President previously warned policemen against getting involved in illegal drugs and criminal activities, threatening to kick them out of the force.
He has also expressed concern about the cases of kidnapping and other crimes reported in Manila's gaming area alleged committed by lawless elements in cahoots with some rotten cops.