The Metro Manila police district director who supposedly required his cops to cough up P100 each for the renovation of toilets in their headquarters has broken his silence.

Eastern Police District (EPD) chief Brigadier General Nolasco Bathan yesterday denied the allegations of anonymous cops that he required them to “donate” or face the threat of complaints.

“I deny that,” Bathan told Rappler after the 118th Police Service Anniversary celebration at Camp Bagong Diwa.

Bathan said that the PNP had set aside enough funds for the EPD toilet renovation. The reported P100-donation, he said, was for the Bahay Pari program of the NCRPO Chaplain’s Office.

Under the program, retirement homes would be built for retired Philippine National Police chaplains who want to stay in Camp Bagong Diwa.

“It was intended for Bahay Pari, and that is voluntary. That’s all. Is it bad to help the Church?” Bathan said.

In a separate interview, NCRPO Chaplain Office chief Superintendent Ron Datu said his office asked Metro Manila district directors for donations to the project. He said that while the PNP had allotted budget for the construction of the building, more funds were needed to furnish the homes.

Datu said they urged cops to donate P100 at most for an equal “sense of ownership.”

Datu said that so far, EPD has donated over P30,000. The leading donor district, he said, was the Quezon City Police District which has donated over P100,000.

“Here, we don’t want to hear, ‘That was built by the police chief,’ we want to hear, ‘We helped in building the priest house,’” Datu said.

Rappler first sought comment from National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major General Guillermo Eleazar inside the police camp, who said they would not launch a probe into the allegation. (Rambo Talabong, Rappler.com)