Dela Rosa
Party-list lawmakers on Monday urged Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to quit clowning and give his office the “demeanor and leadership style” that it deserves.
In a press conference, Representatives Alfredo Garbin Jr. (Ako Bicol), Benhur Lopez (Yacap), Harry Roque (Kabayan) and Sherwin Tugna (Cibac) showed exasperation over Dela Rosa’s antics—from hamming it up for cameras at a Bryan Adams concert, watching a Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Las Vegas, and even partying on his birthday at Camp Crame amid revelations that a Korean was killed near his official residence.
But except for Lopez, all fell short of calling for Dela Rosa’s resignation, only saying the PNP chief should clean up his act for the sake of the police force.
Garbin questioned the effectiveness of Dela Rosa’s leadership in light of the gruesome murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo right inside the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame.
“Is his leadership still effective? I hope he changes his demeanor. He should stop clowning around. He does not sound serious anymore. Anything he says is for the sake of a soundbite… His demeanor and leadership style should be something that the office of the chief PNP deserves,” Garbin said.
Dela Rosa has failed to command respect and fear from his men with his comic style when facing the public, Garbin said.
“Whoever you put there at the PNP, our problem is a complete systems failure and what we need is a comprehensive reforms rebuilding damaged institutions. I am hoping that General Bato will now concentrate on the difficult process of rebuilding the PNP as an institution,” Roque said.
While Dela Rosa appears to be “an honest and decent police officer,” Tugna said, “so much is expected of him as a PNP chief” as the leader of the 160,000-strong police force.
Tugna said he was giving Dela Rosa 60 days “to cooperate in the case buildup against police officers involved in the murder of the Korean to prove that he deserves the trust of the President.”