By Hanah Tabios  Acting Metro Manila police chief Debold Sinas denied having had any hand in the recent arrest of some alleged activists in Manila and Bacolod City. PBGEN DEBOLD M SINAS
(NCRPO PIO / MANILA BULLETIN) In an interview aired over ANC Headstart on Tuesday, Sinas defended himself, saying that the reported “dialogue” he had with the Quezon City regional trial court executive judge, who issued the search warrants used in arresting the militants, was a plain courtesy call. “Actually, I paid a courtesy call on the executive judge. If you are talking about the raid in Bacolod, I do not know about it. We did not discuss it during the courtesy call,” he said, citing that he was never assigned to Police Regional Office 6, which has jurisdiction over Bacolod City. The newly appointed NCRPO chief was former director of Police Regional Office 7 or Central Visayas. He averred that it was not unusual for ranking police officials to pay a visit to local heads as part of their duty once they have assumed their posts. “Yung raid naman sa MPD (Manila Police District) sa Manila was spearheaded by CIDG-NCR. So ours is just to support them” he added. Sinas also said he saw nothing wrong in visiting judges of local courts. In fact, he pointed out that the judge was the first local official to confirm all his requests for appointments. He said the two of them did not discuss any matter related to the recent raids despite the earlier allegation of Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate. “I did not discuss this to the judge. Pangatlo, magagalit sakin yung judge because I could not influence a judge. Magaling na judge yon as  I see it and we have respected her,” he said. Meanwhile, Sinas already made headlines before assuming his post as the new NCRPO chief. It will be recalled that in March 30, during his term as the Central Visayas police chief, his men were involved in the alleged mass killing of 14 farmers in Negros province. The case was dubbed as “Negros 14” which stemmed in the same manner of implementing search warrants. But police said the victims allegedly resisted arrest, hence, resulting to an alleged exchange of gunfires leading to their instantaneous death.