(Eagle News) – “He stays as chief of police. Bato has my complete trust.”
With this declaration, President Rodrigo Duterte stressed that Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa will stay on as the head of the national police amid calls by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for him to resign.
The President erased any uncertainty regarding the position of Dela Rosa who had earlier spoken to the President asking him directly if he would want him to step down.
The assurance came during the birthday celebration of the PNP chief in Camp Crame, the national police’s headquarters.
Even Speaker Alvarez was at “Bato’s” 55th birthday celebration. He was seated beside him in fact. The PNP chief, on the other hand, was seated beside the President.
“Kung patanggal natin si Bato, ako at si Speaker wala dito. (If we take out Bato, I and the Speaker won’t be here),” President Duterte said.
Alvarez later said, “All’s well that ends well.”
The President said he wants the PNP to identify those involved in the kidnap-slaying of Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo.
Abella said that Malacañang was “outraged” by Jee’s abduction and killing, especially the fact that Jee was killed inside the PNP’s Camp Crame.
“We will not tolerate corrupt, abusive, errant policemen who betray the organization and the men and women in uniform who continue their faithful, dedicated and loyal service to the country,” he added.
Some police officers have been tagged in the kidnap-slay case, including Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and his immediate superior in the PNP-Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, Superintendent Raphael Dumlao.
Sta. Isabel surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation last week seeking protective custody. He had since been transferred to the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame.
He claimed Dumlao was the mastermind behind the Korean’s abduction and killing.
Dumlao, on the other hand, strongly denied this allegation.
