Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa ordered policemen not to take selfies with arrested celebrities.
Dela Rosa made this statement after a photo of two female policewomen with arrested actor Mark Anthony Fernandez went viral online. Fernandez was arrested Monday night for possession of a kilo of marijuana in Angeles, Pampanga.
Read: Actor Mark Anthony Fernandez nabbed with marijuana
“Although wala akong nakikitang mali don, being their commander. Masama nga lang ang dating doon sa ibang criminals. Parang may double standard tayo,” Dela Rosa said.
[Translation: Although I don’t see anything wrong with it, being their commander. But it would look bad from the perspective of other criminals. It looks like we have a double standard.]
Netizens criticized the two police officials for allegedly giving Fernandez special treatment.
Dela Rosa said he understands that the policewomen may be starstruck with the actor, but he reminds them to behave in a professional manner.
“I would like to take this opportunity to remind all our police personnel na [to] please stay focused on your job. Your job to enforce the law, to apprehend criminals and not to have selfies with these law offenders,” he said.
The PNP chief himself is very popular among Filipinos.
Wherever he goes, people flock to meet him and to have a selfie photo taken with him.
“Naiintindihan ko ang kanilang pagiging starstruck, maraming tao din ang na-starstruck sa akin,” he said.
[Translation: I understand that they get starstruck, a lot of people also get starstruck with me.]
Offhand, Dela Rosa said the act of the two policewomen may fall under conduct unbecoming of a police official, a form of administrative violation.
But he clarifies that he wants the involved police officials to explain first and then he will ask the PNP Internal Affairs Service to look into the incident.
