Bato vows to heed Lacson advice to focus on police affairs

PNP chief Director Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Can the public expect to see a more serious Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa this time?

This after Dela Rosa said he will take the advice from his former boss and “idol,” Senator Panfilo Lacson, to pay more attention to police affairs and limit his social activities while the PNP is being dragged into several controversies, including the killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo by cops inside Camp Crame.

“Susundin ko yung kanyang advice. He’s my idol kaya susundin ko (I will follow his advice. He’s my idol so I will follow it),” Dela Rosa said in a press conference at Camp Crame on Monday.

READ: Bato Dela Rosa told to focus on ridding PNP of rogue cops

Lacson, who was Dela Rosa’s former boss at the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) when he was then the PNP chief, criticized Dela Rosa’s manner of addressing issues involving the police.

Calls for Dela Rosa to quit his post mounted after anti-illegal drug cops allegedly killed Jee a few steps away from his office inside the PNP headquarters last October 18.

Amid the controversy, Dela Rosa was seen in the concert of American singer Bryan Adams. Reacting to critcisms, Dela Rosa said his appearance in the concert would not bring the Korean businessman back to life.

“He is missing the point entirely. Will you go to a concert if your house is burning? Even if your house was burned down to the ground, can I do something about it? Will I be able to build it back if I don’t watch a concert? That is not the point. The point is, there is a situation. There is a crisis that needs you to stand up where you are, even if the concert was really good and you leave it, to attend to the problem. Because you have a problem in your house,” Lacson said in a dzBB program on Sunday.

Lacson also warned Dela Rosa that some of his men might take advantage of his easy-going ways.

He said the PNP chief should start refocusing his priorities./rga