Bato: Drug war may be motive behind kill plot against me

PNP Chief General Ronald De La Rosa. EDWIN BACASMAS/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said the police’s war on drugs could be the motive behind the assassination plot against him by the Maute terrorist group.

Although the motive has not been established yet, Dela Rosa said “it’s very obvious this Maute group is being fed with drug money.”

“Maybe nasaktan sila sa ating drug war… More or less may kinalaman ito,” Dela Rosa told reporters in Camp Crame on Wednesday.

(Maybe they were hurt in our drug war… More or less this has something to do with it.)

Dela Rosa revealed that members of the terror group attempted to kill him when he visited his alma mater Mindanao State University in Marawi City last January 25.

READ: Bato bares foiled Maute plot to assassinate him

Bombs were planted in the venue ahead of his visit and a hitman was prepared to shoot him but the security was too tight, he said.

Dela Rosa said he has not made any changes with his security arrangement since the incident because he believes “the Lord will not abandon me.”

“My security are capable of protecting me and I can protect myself and alam ko hindi ako pababayaan ni Lord (I know the Lord won’t forsake me). God is always with me wherever I go,” he said.

Asked to give a message to those behind the kill plot, he said: “If I will be sacrificed for doing my job, so be it. I am not afraid to die. Anytime I can die basta nagtratrabaho lang ako (just as long as I’m doing my job). They cannot deter me from doing my job.”

Dela Rosa learned about Maute’s plan when one of its members got arrested for a car theft incident and told the tactical interrogators that they once attempted to kill the PNP chief.

The Maute Group was behind the September bombing in Davao City that left 15 people dead and dozens injured.  JE