INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
What’s Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s New Year resolution?
The busy chief of the 160,000-strong PNP wants to find more time for sleep and rest after supervising the police force in its intensive campaign against illegal drugs.
Since he assumed office in July, Dela Rosa had a packed schedule, visiting different police offices all over the country, attending engagements overseas, and facing marathon congressional hearings on a number of controversies, including the spate of extrajudicial killings and the drug trade inside the national penitentiary.
“New year’s resolution ko, I will see to it that I will have small time for myself. Kasi itong 2016 talaga nakalimutan ko sarili ko, focus na focus ako sa trabaho ko, kulang ako sa tulog, kulang sa pahinga, kulang sa exercise, hanapan ko talaga ng paraan na makatulog ako at kahit papaano makapag-exercise,” Dela Rosa said in a Light Network interview.
(This 2016, I have forgotten myself. I am so focused on my job. I lacked sleep, rest exercise. I will find time to sleep and exercise.)
Controversies hounded the police organization since Dela Rosa became its chief. Dela Rosa and his men have been on the frontline of President Duterte’s brutal war on drugs, which had claimed lives of nearly 6,000 individuals.
Earlier, Dela Rosa apologized to the people for the killings because the drug war would continue.
In his New Year message, Dela Rosa called on the public to cooperate with the police in fighting all kinds of violence, corruption and illegal drugs.
“Umaasa ako na sa darating na mga araw ay mas magiging handa ang bawat isa sa atin upang paigtingin ang init ng pagkakaisa laban sa lahat ng uri ng karahasan,” he said.
(I am hopeful in the coming days we will all be more ready to enhance the united efforts in our fight against all forms of violence.)
“Nawa’y maging gabay natin ang mga nangyari sa nakaraang taon upang mas lalo pang maging matibay ang pagbubuklod-buklod ng kapulisan at mamamayan sa mas pinaigting at patuloy na pagsugpo sa kriminalidad, korupsyon at iligal na droga,” he said.
(Let us hope what happened in the past years will be our guide to strengthen the unity of the police force and civilians for the continuous fight against criminality, corruption and illegal drugs.)
He also promised that the PNP will welcome the year 2017 by “serving the people better.” TVJ