Bato de la Rosa, the loyal general
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2018 16:19:30 +0000
The most famous general of the current administration since the feared but revered Mayor of Davao became President in 2016 minces no words. When asked how he feels every time his detractors imply that he will only serve as an echo to Mr. Duterte if elected to the Senate, Gen. Roland “Bato” de la Rosa’s reply is as solid as his equally famous nickname.
“I don’t care what they say. You can expect that from me since suportado ko talaga si Presidente, pero hindi naman lahat ganoon. Mayroon din naman akong identity as my own person. You can expect na susunod ako sa kanya pero hindi naman basta sound board lang ng Pangulo,” he declared.
Just a little over two years since his most memorable inaugural speech as a newly installed PNP Chief—the very one that stole the hearts of Filipinos for its groundedness, honesty, humility, simplicity, dignity and good humor—The Sunday Times Magazine gently remarked to the general that he seems to have lost a bit of the playfulness he had at the very start of his 33-month tenure as PNP Chief.
With the controversies that hounded him in so short a time — from the most petty pronouncements over his brand of jeans, to the more serious ones concerning the PNP’s role in the war on drugs which rendered him emotional at the Senate — the question that naturally followed was whether the politics, nitpicking and bashing had already jaded him to some extent. And if so, why on earth would he even want to run for public office next year?
This and more were addressed point by point by the 56-year-old pride of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur—who can claim with pride he reached the pinnacle of the police force as career officer and later as Bureau of Corrections Director General—with a rock hard message underlying all his statements: That his loyalty to the President is such because of their shared loyalty to the Filipino people.
Question: Have all the controversies, the national divisiveness and the criticisms hurled against you affected you already?
Bato de la Rosa: Lahat ng pambabatikos haven’t changed me. What you see is what you get hanggang ngayon. Playful pa rin ako kahit lahat binatikos na sa akin. Yung panood ko ng concert ni Bryan Adams, yung pantalon ko daw na True Religion na padala naman ng kapatid ko na pulis sa Las Vegas at yung pag-iyak ko sa Senado. Pero it doesn’t matter yung paninira ng tao. Tanggap ko lahat yon kasi ramdam ko naman at nakikita ko na yung loud critics maliit lang kung ikukumpara mo sa mga taong sumusuporta sa iyo.
Ang haters naman laging may halong pulitika. Gaya nung mga nag-bash sa akin na iyakin nga raw ako sa Senado… well, tao lang naman ako na napipikon din, kaya minsan sinagot ko sila, “Magsuntukan kaya tayo at tingnan natin kung sino ang unang iiyak!” (Laughs).
Pero seriously po, mahirap naman mag-angat ng sariling bangko pero mas maingay lang talaga yung maga bashers kesa sa mga admirers natin base sa pag-iikot ko at sa ratings.
Q: Why did you decide to go for the Senate on your very first bid for public office?
BDLR: Nakikita ko kasi na maraming modifications sa mga batas natin na puwede kong i-contribute para ma-improve ang sitwasyon ng ating bansa. Pangalawa, gustong-gusto kong suportahan si Presidente sa kanyang mga programa dahil nakikita ko, kung wala siyang mga kaalyado or kakampi sa Senado, mahihirapan siyang isabatas ang kanyang mga programa. And I don’t care kung anong sabihin nila. I am loyal to the man dahil alam ko na ginagawa niya para sa kabutihan ng Pilipino at yon rin ang gusto ko.
Q: What are these programs and advocacies that you plan to push if elected to the Senate?
BDLR: Tulad ng lagi kong sinasabi, unang-una na yung restoration ng death penalty para sa drug traffickers and not for the users. Kailangan magakaroon tayo ng deterrence sa nagpapabaha ng shabu sa bansa natin. Yan ang lalo kong napatunayan nung pag-lipat ko sa BuCor dahil tuwing tinatanong ko yung mga foreigners na nahuli for drug trafficking, “Why do you insist on bringing drugs to the Philippines? Why not Singapore or Malaysia.” Ang sagot nila lahat, “Because the Philippine rules are too easy.” Doon daw sa ibang bansa patay sila agad; dito makukulong lang sila at baka puwede pang makatakas.
Gusto ko rin ukulan ng pansin ang OFW sector natin na magkaroon ng batas para sa gobyerno na makapag-bigay ng appropriate legal assistance sa mga kababayan natin working abroad. Nakita ko ang distress nila at hirap doon at kailangan talaga nila ng tulong.
Para naman sa PNP, gusto kong buhayin yung bill na ibalik yung training ng mga pulis sa PNP mismo dahil ang mga pulis natin are the only ones who are not trained by the actual police force.
And finally, para mapabilis ang solusyon sa krimen, ‘yung National ID System at yung pag-enforce ng stricter rules sa pag kuha-ng mga pre-paid lines ng cell phones.
Q: If like other generals your life were to be made into a movie, what would you want to highlight in the life and times of Gen. Bato de la Rosa?
BDLR: Gusto ko ma-highlight at ang dapat i-highlight, i-summarize ko lang into one sentence: Yung gusto kong palabasin na ang kahirapan ay hindi dapat maging hadlang sa pagkamit ng iyong mga pangarap. That even if you’re dirt poor or the poorest of the poorest kung talagang magsumikap ka, makakaahon ka—hindi naman para yumaman — pero para umayos ang iyong buhay at makaahon sa kahirapan.
Q: Did you come from a poor background yourself?
BDLR: Super hirap. Lumaki ako na yung father ko tricycle driver at yung mother ko nag-titinda sa palengke. Ako naman papasok school na walang laman ang tiyan, tapos walang baong pananghalian. Para makapag-lunch gagawin ko ang homework ng mga kaklase ko tapos sasabihin ko sa kanila, “Basta yung baon n’yo i-share ninyo sa akin para makakain din ako.”
Minsan naglalakad din ako sa Davao ng eight kilometers dahil wala akong pamasahe.
So ang buhay ko, puno ng action dahil sa pagka-pulis, pero sa umpisa more on drama na may papitik-pitik na comedy para naman mabasa yung pulbura ng luha! (Laughs).
Q: Is it an advantage to be identified as one of the President’s men?
BDLR: Advantage siya sa may mahal kay Presidente Duterte pero disadvantage sa hindi siya mahal. Ganun lang yon, gaya ng sabi ko, I am loyal to the President because I know his intentions, and our intentions are the same: to serve the Filipino so that they can lead better lives.
Q: If there is one thing you would like the public to know, what would that be?
BDLR: Na hindi po ako puro tapang lang, may malasakit po ako sa tao… at kengkoy din!
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