PNP chief Bato: ‘I am wiling to serve Duterte until my last breath’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Wednesday said that he was willing to serve President Rodrigo Duterte until his "last breath."

Dela Rosa's retirement plan was once again pushed back after Duterte, during his speech before Indian businessmen in Malacañang, said he would extend anew the police official's term, citing the need to continue the reforms in the national police agency.

He said that he only found out about his term extension through reporters, social media and news report as he has yet to talk to the President regarding it. He, however, clarified he saw no problem in the President's decision to extend his tenure.

"Mixed feeling, una masaya na medyo malungkot konti, masaya in the sense na nandiyan pa rin yung trust and confidence ni President sa atin na patuloy tayong magtatrabaho and masaya rin ako dahil patuloy yung aking pagseserbisyo sa ating bansa, tuloy tuloy pa rin," Dela Rosa told reporters.

"On the other hand, medyo malungkot konti dahil nasira yung mga plano sa retirement dahil meron na akong mga plano para sa aking pamilya, kung anong gagawin namin but then again maintindihan naman ng mga anak ko 'yan, asawa ko 'yan," he added.

Dela Rosa said that he could not say no to the order of the President as he was indebted to him.

"Hindi ako pwedeng humindi napakalaki ang utang na loob ko sa ating Presidente, napakalaki yung aking paghanga sa kanya bilang leader ever since kaya ganon na lang yung aking tiwala sa kanya kung bibigyan pa niya kong trabaho, talagang tatatrabuhin ko, magtatrabaho pa rin ako," he said.

"As I have said, I am willing to serve under him [until] my last breath hindi ako aayaw,  hangga't kinakailangan niya ako, andito lang ako magtatrabaho," he added.

He added that public service will remain his top priority.

"Unahin muna natin yung serbisyo bago yung pamilya, ganon naman talaga palagi sa serbisyo namin, palaging second priority na yung pamilya, first priority is yung aming serbisyong publiko," he said.

Dela Rosa was supposed to leave his post on January 21 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56 but Duterte had extended his term of duty by two or three months. — MDM, GMA News