Bato: No special treatment for narcopoliticians

SAN FERNANDO CITY—Elected officials tagged by President Duterte as narcopoliticians should not automatically be viewed as evil people just because they are on a government watch list, Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police, said here last week.

But Dela Rosa also ordered the Ilocos regional police to dig deeper into the affairs of three incumbent mayors and a former mayor in La Union province who had been accused of protecting drug syndicates.

Pangasinan officials, including former governor and now Rep. Amado Espino Jr., were also linked to a drug network inside the New Bilibid Prison in a matrix released by Mr. Duterte.

“I have already instructed [Ilocos regional police director] Chief Supt. Gregorio Pimentel to conduct an investigation. And it’s ongoing. There’s nothing clear about it yet. The validation is also ongoing,” Dela Rosa said in a news conference.

Officials linked to drugs have denied the allegations.

Dela Rosa said he treats the supposed narcopoliticians with the respect that comes with their office.

“So they come to me, they face me, they talk to me, nothing is special. It’s normal because we are all government workers. But it doesn’t preclude future actions if proven that they are involved,” he said.

PNP CHIEF Ronald dela Rosa

Asked if he has a time table for the investigations, Dela Rosa said he has given investigators more flexibility by not imposing a deadline.

“These cannot be rushed because there are many things that are at stake here. It’s not just a matter of complying [with my instructions],” he said.

But he said he expected results on or before Jan. 1 next year, his sixth month in office.

Dela Rosa said the police would curb the activities of 1.8 million Filipinos identified by surveys as people who used or sold illegal drugs.

“We are aiming for what is ideal. Drug-free barangays and communities by Jan. 1, meaning, that would be [a] 100-percent [accomplishment of the task],” he said.

“But assuming we will not achieve that, we hope to hit from 70 to 80 percent [of that target],” he said.

Starting this month, Central Luzon schools, colleges and universities will be the venues of the police’s antidrug campaign that will focus on the ill-effects of drugs.

“We will also like to share with students our advocacy for peaceful communities and healthy lifestyles,” said Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, Central Luzon police director. Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon, and Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon