Sen. Bato dela Rosa’s security detail recalled after Duterte’s arrest

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa (Photo from Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa confirmed that his security details were recalled by the Philippine National Police (PNP) days after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Dela Rosa disclosed the matter in a phone patch interview on Tuesday, saying that he was only made aware of the matter on March 24 upon his arrival in Davao.

“Itong pag uwi ko sa Davao, wala na akong security,” dela Rosa said.

(When I went home to Davao, I don’t have security anymore.)

“Pinapa-report na lang sila sa unit nila. Hindi ko alam kung kailan sila pina-report ha? Dahil naka-standby ‘man sila dito,” he noted.

(They were told to report to their unit. I do not know when they were made to report, okay? It’s because they were on standby here.)

Hindi ko alam kasi nag iikot ako. Ngayon, pagdating ko rito, wala na sila. Pina-report na sila,” the senator said.

(I don’t know because I was doing the rounds. Now, when I arrived here, they were already gone. They were already told to report [to their unit.])

Later in the interview, he clarified that he has two sets of securities — one in Davao and another set in Manila.

Asked how many of his security in Davao was recalled, he answered two.

The former top cop said after two of his security personnel were removed, at least 10 of his friends and former colleagues have volunteered to serve in his security group to keep him safe while he’s in Davao.

He said the volunteers are retired law enforcers and soldiers in the army.

Amid the removal of his security, the senator does not see this development as an attack against him, insisting that the PNP is only “being careful.”

“May tao sila sa akin dahil mainit man ang gubyerno sa akin, ‘di ba? Tapos, malaman na may tao sila sa akin na naka-deploy. Nag iingat sila,” said dela Rosa.

(They have assigned people to guard me while the government and I are not on good terms, right? And then, it would be known that they have their people guarding me. They are being careful.)

Dela Rosa is facing charges of crimes against humanity in relation to the role he played at the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

Being Duterte’s former top cop, dela Rosa was the one who issued Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016 when he assumed power as PNP chief.

The memo was the basis for Project Double Barrel that started Duterte’s war on drugs which was later on dubbed as Oplan Tokhang.

Atty. Kristina Conti, an International Criminal Court (ICC) assistant to counsel, earlier told INQUIRER.net that after Duterte, dela Rosa and retired police chief Oscar Albayalde could be the next to receive arrest warrants from the ICC.

The warrants will pertain to the alleged crimes against humanity over their roles in the previous administration’s drug war.