PNP chief ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa confronts suspected big-time drug lords in Bilibid

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Wednesday confronted high-profile inmates of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during his visit at the maximum security compound.

A report by GMA News' Jun Veneracion on Balitanghali said Del Rosa repeatedly told Herbert Colangco "umayos ka" in the Visayan dialect before he asked the latter to identify the leader of the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.

Colangco appeared shaky at first in front of Dela Rosa but eventually pointed to Peter Co as the main person, Veneracion reported.

"Magaling kang kumanta?" Dela Rosa asked Colangco.

"Konti sir," Colangco replied.

"Kantahan mo ko ha?" Dela Rosa said.

"Si Peter Co, totoo ba na siya ang hari-hari ng drugs dito? Siya ang hari-hari sa drugs?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Colangco said sheepishly.

The PNP chief also confronted Co as he was taken into the bus.

"Look at me. You look at me. You are Peter Co?" Dela Rosa shouted.

Co and Colangco had been tagged earlier by President Rodrigo Duterte as the country's top drug dealers along with Peter Lim alias Jaguar.

'Ikaw ba siga dito?' 

Dela Rosa then confronted Jaybee Sebastian as he was boarding a bus that will take them to their temporary detention cells after clearing operations were held in 'Building 14' of the maximum security compound.

"Ikaw pala siga dito," Dela Rosa said to Sebastian.

"Hindi po totoo yun sir," Sebastian replied.

Sebastian is charged for one count of carnapping and sentenced from 17 years and four months 20 years imprisonment.

"Sabi mo nga sa interview mo siga ka eh. Sabi mo nga hindi ka lang killer, carnapper pa," Dela Rosa said.

Meanwhile, the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) recovered signal boosters and money during its clearing operations of Building 14.

The PNP-SAF assumed their security posts on Wednesday, replacing the NBP guards in the government's aim to discourage illegal activities and special accommodations for certain inmates.  — Joseph Tristan Roxas/RSJ/NB, GMA News