Bato agrees: It’s hard to recruit dissidents from police

It is almost impossible for police personnel to support a coup against President Rodrigo Duterte who had fostered warm relation with the police, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Ronald dela Rosa said on Monday.

“I just want to re-echo ’yong sinabi ni Chief PNP General (Oscar) Albayalde kahit na bali-baliktarin mo ’yong PNP, kahit anong gawin mo dyan, I don’t think makakuha sila ng isang supporter dito sa amin,” Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview.

Dela Rosa, who was the previous chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that this is the first time the country saw a sitting president showing immeasurable “love” for the police force.

“Wala akong nakikitang valid reason bakit ang isang pulis ay kakampi doon sa destablization efforts against the President, eh mahal na mahal ni Presidente ‘yong kapulisan.  First in the history ng Philippines na ’yong PNP ay mahal na mahal ng isang presidente, and yet babaliktad ka?” he said.

“For what? For money? ’Yong pera mo, ’yong sweldo mo dinoble na nga eh. Prinsipyo? Anong prinsipyo ang ipaglalaban mo sa presidente?” he asked.

On September 10, Albayalde said that they have not monitored any agitation within the police, insisting that there was no need for loyalty checks.

This came after Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that there were police and military officials who were disgruntled with Malacañang’s revocation of his amnesty.

READ: PNP chief says no need for loyalty check 

READ: Trillanes says military extremely bothered by order for his arrest

However, Dela Rosa belittled the accusations, saying that even among scalawags in PNP or so-called “ninja cops”, only a few would join such moves.

“Baka merong pumunta doon ‘yong mga ninja cops na galit sa atin, kakampi doon sa destabilization. Pero kahit na ninja cops, iba pa rin ‘yong utak ng pulis,” he said in jest.