Bato to Leni: ‘Set aside presidential ambition for now, help Duterte first’

Vice President Leni Robredo was advised by the country’s top cop to set aside her supposed presidential ambition for now so President Rodrigo Duterte could “accomplish his plans for the country.”

“Sana tulungan na lang niya ang Presidente. She will have her time pagkatapos nito,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said during a forum in Quezon City on Monday.

Dela Rosa said this when asked to give a message to Robredo. The two took a picture together before Robredo left the Kamuning Bakery’s “World Pandesal Day” event.

“Kung gusto niya maging presidente, subukan natin siya pero patapusin nya muna ang buong administration para matapos mga plano ng Presidente. Sana suportahan na lang niya,” Dela Rosa said.

Allies of Mr. Duterte earlier hit Robredo for criticizing the administration’s brutal war on drugs, which had allegedly killed thousands of Filipinos since July 2016.

Also during the forum, Dela Rosa was asked if the police are prepared to deal with the alleged destabilization plots against the Duterte government.

Dela Rosa said he’s confident that the alleged destabilizers cannot win against the current administration.

“Eighty percent of Filipinos still support the President so kahit anong gawin nila, mamatay sila, mangisay sila kakasigaw ng anong galit sa administration, I don’t think kakayanin nila but then again, we are ready. Nandyan ‘yung ating PNP. We are ready to act whatever happens,” he said.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta have earlier claimed that those behind the destabilization plots were members of drug cartels, ISIS-inspired terrorists, Communist party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, and “seditious political opposition” or the “Yellowtards,” referring to the allies of the Aquino administration.                                                      /kga