Dela Rosa on ‘20,000’ drug deaths: Were deaths from traffic, heart attack included?

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado on July 4. INQUIRER.net PHOTO/ CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — Former police chief and now Senator Ronaldo “Bato” Dela Rosa mocked on Monday the alleged bloated number of drug suspects killed in the government’s bloody war on illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa said the estimated 20,000 drug deaths by human rights groups might have included those killed in traffic accidents or those who died of heart attack.

“Ano yung 20,000 niya, kasama ‘yung mga namatay sa traffic accidents? Baka kasama nilang binilang yung namatay sa heart attack,” he said when the issue was raised in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel. 

“I believe in the real numbers provided by the government. ‘Yan ang totoo, hindi ‘yan manufactured, hindi ‘yan fabricated at hindi ‘yan fake news. ‘Yan ang totoo,” he added.

READ: 6,600 killed in war vs drugs from July 2016 to May 2019 — PNP

Being the “architect” of the drug war, Dela Rosa said it was difficult for him to not be biased.

Because aside from drug suspects, he noted that policemen were also among the thousands killed in the campaign against illegal drugs.

“Hind ko pwedeng sabihin na porke senador na ako, kunyari nakalimutan ko na ‘yung aking attachment with the PNP (Philippine National Police). No, tao ako. I’ve been a police my whole life, so hindi man masabi na wala akong sentimyento, simpatiya dun sa aking mga kabaro,” the neophyte senator said.

“Pero ngayon na ako’y senador na, I swear to God and to the Filipino people na gagawin ko lahat ng gagawin ko para lang magiging neutral at hindi ako biased kahit mabigat man sa kalooban ko na upakan ko yung PNP dahil nakagawa sila ng misdemeanor, na mang-abuso, nagawa nila ‘yung ilegal.

“I have to do that because I’m now a senator, I’m not a senator of the PNP, I’m a senator of the whole Filipino people. Kaya dapat fair ako pagdating sa mga trial na ‘yan, kahit masakit sa kalooban ko, I have to do this…” he further said. 

Dela Rosa believes that his credibility has not diminished despite criticisms and accusations against the government’s anti-drug drive.

And this was proven, he said, by his victory in the last May elections.

“Kung ganun ako kasama, sana hindi ako nanalo sa election, but people made me number 5 in the last senatorial election, so ibig sabihin somehow, may kredibilidad pa rin ako…” he said. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)