Not all the country's policemen are rotten, Malacañang insisted Tuesday after the video showing a woman being shot dead by a cop in Quezon City went viral online.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque defended that the Philippine National Police (PNP) remained a professional organization, adding the shooting involving the cop was an isolated incident.
"Definitely, that is not the rule. That is the exception to the rule. Wala po tayong magagawa. Kahit anong organization mayroong paisa-isang mga bugok at ito pong pangyayaring ito iyong naunang event...ito po iyong mga bugok (We cannot do anything. In any organization, there are a few rotten eggs and this incident is one of the bad eggs)," Roque said during a televised organization Tuesday.
"Pero (But) please, we have hundreds of thousands in the ranks of our policemen and we hear of one or two cases of this nature. Hindi po totoo na malawakang maraming bugok sa kapulisan (It is not true there are many rotten eggs in our police force)," he added.
Roque insisted that the policemen are professionals after having been trained that as law enforcers, they should also observe the law.
"We have respect for the professionalism of our policemen. And yes, I confirm these are exceptions to the rule that our policemen are by and large professionals," he said.
A police sergeant was recently caught on video shooting an elderly woman over a personal grudge in Quezon City.
Police Master Sgt. Hensie Zinampan has been arrested over the incident and would face criminal raps, including possible dismissal from service. The incident triggered fresh concerns against the police brutality raised by some rights advocates.
READ: Cop tagged in cold-blooded killing of old woman in QC to face dismissal–Eleazar