MANILA, Philippines – A day after he announced a nationwide inventory to make sure no hidden detention centers are being kept inside police facilities, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa said they’re all clear.

“Nationwide. Lahat ng RD (regional director) nag-report, negative. ‘Yan ‘yung report natin (All the RDs reported, negative. That’s the report that reached me),” said Dela Rosa on Thursday, May 4, in a chance interview with reporters.

The day before, Dela Rosa announced during a shooting competition in Batangas that he was ordering a nationwide inventory of all PNP facilities to make sure that there were no hidden jail cells similar to the one discovered inside a Manila Police District (MPD) station on April 27.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had found at least 12 men and women detained in a narrow alley hidden behind a bookshelf inside MPD Station 1 in Tondo, Manila. Police have been accused of abusing the detainees and extorting money from them – allegations that Dela Rosa himself denies. (READ: Dela Rosa’s defense of secret jail cell shows ‘ignorance’ of law)

The inventory covered police stations and provincial headquarters, said the PNP chief. (READ: Dela Rosa’s answer to cramped jails: Tie prisoners to posts)

The discovery of the CHR sparked outrage on top of long-standing allegations that police have turned to extralegal measures in the name of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. All of the detainees inside the hidden jail cell were drug suspects. (READ: Duterte to ‘look into’ secret Manila jail cell)

Dela Rosa has promised to work with the CHR, an independent body tasked to check on alleged abuses by state forces. (READ: Secret cell in police station ‘absolutely prohibited’ – CHR) – Rappler.com