MANILA — Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Monday said he is convinced that he has exerted all efforts to improve the flagging image of the police force when he first assumed the post.
Dela Rosa made the statement as he bade farewell to the 196,000-strong police force in an emotional address at Monday’s flag raising ceremony in Camp Crame.
Speaking to reporters, Dela Rosa described his stint as PNP chief as a roller coaster ride.
“The last 21 months of the PNP was a roller coaster ride, ups and downs but more ups than downs. Sabi nila (They say) you can be put down seven times but we get up eight times,” the outgoing PNP chief said.
Dela Rosa said the lowest point during his term would be the grilling of the PNP leadership before the Senate and the case of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, who was strangled to death while under detention inside Camp Crame during the early days of the administration’s war on drugs.
“The lowest point was the case of Jee Ick Joo who was killed right here in the camp. That is the lowest and reached a point of my voluntary resignation from this post, also when we were hailed to the Senate and there was nothing to do but suffer in silence,” Dela Rosa said.
On the other hand, the PNP chief said he is endlessly elated by the public’s reaction to his presence and by those who are thankful to the PNP, especially for its war on drugs.
“Every time I go out, people come in groups and are thankful. They congratulate us on what we have done especially on our actions in the war on drugs,” he added.
Asked for his advice to incoming PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, Dela Rosa said the latter can focus on the war on drugs and weeding out scalawags in the PNP.
Dela Rosa said he is keen on spending quality time with his family, once he steps down this week.
“Importante talaga magbakasyon muna ako kasama ko yung aking asawa and mga anak (It is important for me to go on vacation with my wife and children) because they have been waiting for that for the last 36 years, hinihintay nila yan so hindi ko sila pwede i-deprive (they have been waiting for that so I cannot deprive them) of that quality time. Now is the right time to share with them quality time from one week, two weeks or five months,” he added. (Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
