PNP chief Bato shrugs off US intel report tagging Duterte as ‘regional threat’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Thursday shrugged off the report of the US Intelligence Community branding President Rodrigo Duterte as among the "regional threats" in Southeast Asia.

The country's top cop, who is staunch supporter of the President, said the report was only an "opinionated assessment," adding that the Philippines' intelligence unit can also conclude the same thing to the US.

"Totoo ba yon? Hindi ba yon fake news? Granting totoo yun, well everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, puwede rin naman kami intelligence community ng Pilipinas magsabi ng assessment namin is that yung US ay banta sa demokrasya ng Pilipinas. Puwede naman 'yan sabihin namin. Well everyone, as I've said, everyone is entitled to his opinion," Dela Rosa said in a chance interview.

"Opinyon nila 'yan eh, pwede kami magkaron ng opinion na ganon but wala, wala kaming opinion na ganon against sa kanila, sa ngayon, so these are all opinionated assessments," he added.

Duterte's war on drugs and pronouncements suggesting the declaration of a revolutionary government and a nationwide martial law have been included as among the "regional threats" listed in the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community.

"In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime. Duterte has suggested he could suspend the Constitution, declare a 'revolutionary government,' and impose nationwide martial law," the report, dated February 13, said about threats in Southeast Asia.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said that the Philippines has "to be friends with the United States," but the declaration of the US Intelligence Community "makes it very difficult to be friendly with the United States." — MDM, GMA News