MANILA – Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa believes he made all efforts to improve the image of the Philippine National Police.
The outgoing PNP chief bid farewell to the 196,000-strong police force in an emotional address at Monday’s flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame.
Speaking to reporters, Dela Rosa described his stint as national police leader as a “rollercoaster ride.”
“The last 21 months … was a roller coaster ride – ups and downs, but more ups than downs,” he said. “Sabi nila (They say) you can be put down seven times but we get up eight times.”
His “lowest point,” he said, was the grilling of the PNP leaders at the Senate in relation to the death of Jee Ick Joo.
The South Korean businessman was strangled to death while under detention in Camp Crame during the early days of the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”
Dela Rosa said this led to his “voluntary resignation from this post” and they had “nothing to do but suffer in silence” when they were summoned to the Senate.
On the other hand, he was elated by the public’s reaction to his presence and those grateful to how the PNP carried out the government crackdown on illegal drugs.
“Every time I go out, people come in groups and are thankful. They congratulate us on what we have done, especially for our actions in the war on drugs,” he added.
Dela Rosa advised his successor, Oscar Albayalde, to focus on the “war on drugs” and on weeding out scalawags in the police force.
According to the outgoing PNP chief, he will spend quality time with his family once he steps down this week.
“Importante talaga magbakasyon muna ako kasama ko iyong aking asawa and mga anak because they have been waiting for that for the last 36 years,” he said.
“Hinihintay nila iyan so hindi ko sila pwede i-deprive of that quality time,” he added. (PNA)
