Bato: No ceasefire on drug war

There would be no ceasefire on the crackdown of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against illegal drug peddlers this holiday season, PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa warned on Wednesday.

“Sa threat groups ceasefire, sa drugs fire. Tuloy ang operations,” Dela Rosa told reporters in an ambush interview at Camp Crame.

“Tuluy-tuloy ‘yung operations ng ating kapulisan dahil alam natin na pag pasko bumabaha ang pera maraming bonus, maraming pera na nagci-circulate so meaning, marami ring shabu na magci-circulate dyan dahil everybody wants  to have money, everybody wants to be happy,” he added.

The PNP chief’s statement came after President Rodrigo Duterte announced a “unilateral ceasefire” against threat groups, including the New People’s Army (NPA), from December 24, 2017 to January 2, 2018.

READ: Duterte declares ceasefire with from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2

Reacting to Duterte’s sudden change of heart, Dela Rosa said: “That’s good para ‘yung ating operating troops na nasa bundok makababa naman at spend holidays with their families.”

For Dela Rosa, the declaration of a ceasefire was for the benefit of the uniformed personnel.

“‘Yung declaration ni Presidente hindi ‘yun para sa mga kalaban, sa mga NPA o para sa mga terorista. Para ‘yun sa mga sundalo at kapulisan na gusto nya mag-enoy din sa panahon ng pasko,” he said.