Dela Rosa
THE POLICE force’s fight against illegal drugs does not end with the retirement of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
During his final briefing with the media as PNP’s top cop at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday, Dela Rosa turned emotional but maintained the police force’s formidable role in the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs.
“The commitment of PNP in the anti-illegal drugs campaign does not end to the retirement of Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa,” he noted.
“We can expect more effective results against illegal drugs under the new leadership that will infuse new blood into the campaign,” he added.
Dela Rosa, who has led the Duterte administration’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, will turn over his position to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde in a ceremony at Camp Crame on April 19.
Dela Rosa and Albayalde were “mistahs” or brothers in the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986.
Albayalde, for his part, said that he would intensify the anti-drug campaign while promising to cooperate with all investigations of killings linked to the brutal anti-illegal drugs campaign, including those being conducted by the Commission on Human Rights and PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS).
The incoming PNP chief also said they comply with the Supreme Court order for the PNP to submit all its case files on Tokhang operations.
Dela Rosa said he would “surely miss” the weekly press briefing routine when he retires.
The outgoing PNP chief said that since the re-launch of the PNP’s anti-drug campaign called Project Double Barrel last December, the police have conducted a total of 12,032 operations nationwide; arrested 19,086; and killed 207 drug suspects.