Bato vows to resign as BuCor chief if agency woes remain after a month

Newly-sworn in Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) head Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Friday said he would resign if administrative and budgetary problems in the agency will not improve after a month.

Five days after assuming office last Monday, Dela Rosa lamented how administrative and budgetary problems have been plaguing the BuCor.

“Wala ako nakitang alleviation, administratively, pati pang gasolina sarili kong gastos,” he said in a media briefing after his oath-taking before Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra at the Department on Justice (DOJ) in Manila.

“Pag wala ako nakitang nag-alleviate administratively, baka mag-resign ako after one month,” he added.

Dela Rosa said these problems, including the congestion issues in the national penitentiary and the welfare of prisoners could be solved through an appropriate budget allocation.

“Actually ang solusyon talaga rito pera budget talaga. But simple lang bigyan nyo lang ako ng time I will institute reforms… diskartehan ko yan,” he said.

Despite the issues hounding the agency, the new BuCor chief said he would not surrender easily.

“Kakayanin ko yun di ako tao na nagsu-surrender agad,” he said.

Guevarra likewise assured Dela Rosa of the DOJ’s support for the BuCor.

“I would like to take this opportunity to give assurance to the director general that they will get more than the necessary support.

“We’ll make sure that the BuCor will have substantial budegtary allocation and for the present budget for 2018 we’ll make sure that all the appropriate funds shall be released efficiently,” he said.

Pressed on his time table and plan to eradicate the narcotics trade inside the prison, as well as to solve the other problems of the BuCor, Dela Rosa said: “Ako ASAP sana, kaya nga gulpi-de-gulat ang pasok ko run.”

“Kayo na bahala mag-imagine basta gagawan ko ng paraan,” he added.  /muf