We can’t promise you bed of roses, Bato tells public amid Tokhang return

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Friday said there is no assurance that police anti-drug operations will be completely bloodless.

In a live interview on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, Dela Rosa defended anew the newly modified Oplan Tokhang, saying they will do everything they can to make it succeed.

"Basta kami gagawin namin ang dapat naming gawin para mag-succeed, but we cannot promise you a bed of roses. This is war, war on drugs. May mangyayari at mangyayari talaga. We have to gamble," he said.

Dela Rosa admitted that the previous Oplan Tokhang had led to abuses by policemen. "Totoo 'yun na may pang-aabuso na nangyari, may sumusobra na nagawa. Totoo 'yun kaya nga tayo nagkaroon ng mga modification," he said.

Dela Rosa said these abuses were the reason why President Rodrigo Duterte suspended Oplan Tokhang twice.

Dela Rosa said with the resumption of Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Double Barrel, they will do everything "humanly possible" to avoid abuses, especially by policemen who themselves are linked to drug syndicates. —KBK, GMA News