New Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa yesterday gave all erring policemen, particularly those involved in illegal drugs, 48 hours to surrender or have their families remember them every All Souls’ Day.
Dela Rosa vowed to prioritize the internal cleansing in the PNP simultaneously with the all-out war against illegal drugs and street-level pushing.
“We will be relentless in our internal cleansing efforts, we have to eliminate the scalawags from within our ranks.
To all the policemen in extortion, abusive, lazy, and involved in syndicates, your days are numbered. I am giving you 48 hours to surrender,” said Dela Rosa.
“I am telling you this: This has to stop right now. Or I’ll stop you from enjoying your life. I promise you change is coming including your birthday, which will be changed to November 2,” he added.
Dela Rosa is particularly hot against erring policemen who are assigned in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
As a policeman who spent most of his career in the province, Dela Rosa said he could not stomach that some of them are bragging how they earn huge sum of money by recycling illegal drugs that they would seize in operations.
He described himself as a father of the PNP who will take the lead in rewarding well-performing children but will not hesitate punishing erring ones.
“To all members of the PNP, beginning today, I am your father, a father who loves and takes care of his children, rewards his well performing children, and punishes his erring children,” Dela Rosa said. “In my fight against drugs, criminality, and corruption, either you are with me or you are not with me. If you are with me, then let’s do it. But if you are not with me, then you are finished,” added Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa said he will only serve once as chief of the PNP and as such, it would be better that he gives his best. “I become the chief PNP only once so I better give it all and give it my best shot. Itotodo ko na ito and I swear I will not fail you Mr. President,” Dela Rosa told President Duterte who was the guest of honor and speaker in his assumption ceremony as the 21st PNP chief.
Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, outgoing PNP spokesman, said this is the first time that a one-star general (Chief Superintendent) jumped to a four-star rank. Duterte and Dela Rosa’s wife Nancy pinned the four-star rank on Dela Rosa, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986.
Dela Rosa has overtaken at least four PMA classes in the PNP – the remaining members of PMA Class 1982 and PMA Classes 1983, 1984, and 1985. He, however, appointed two members of PMA Class 1982 to be the No. 2 and No. 3 men of the PNP – Deputy Director General Francisco Uyami and Director Benjamin Magalong. (AARON B. RECUENCO)