Bato to drug lords in jail: ‘I’m coming, see you there’

Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, PNP chief (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

“I’m coming, see you there.”

This was the stern notice of soon-to-retire Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to drug lords locked up in various prisons nationwide, as President Rodrigo Duterte confirmed his impending appointment as next head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

READ: Duterte set to appoint Bato as Bureau of Corrections chief

Sought for comment on his next mission, Dela Rosa said: “Who am I to refuse the President, he is my boss ever since, he will be my boss forever.”

Despite admitting that solving the problem in BuCor would be a tough job, he remained positive that he could take on Duterte’s challenge.

“Hirap na hirap na ako isipin ‘yan. How can you arrest someone who is already arrested, pano mo ikulong ang taong nakakulong na, paano mo i-convict (ang) taong na-convict na, so what’s next?” Dela Rosa told reporters after attending the special joint session of Congress on the extension of martial law in Mindanao.

“Tulungan nyo ako sagutin yung problem na ‘yan para matigil na ‘yung drug problem,” he added.

Dela Rosa said he would account all drug lords doing business inside jails across the country.

READ: Where to, Bato?

Dela Rosa is set to reach the mandatory age of retirement for uniformed personnel on January 21, 2018.                        /kga