More to being Duterte’s PNP chief than being from Davao City —Bato

Getting appointed chief of the Philippine National Police by President Rodrigo Duterte takes more than being close to the Chief Executive or being a former chief of police in Davao City, PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said on Tuesday.

Dela Rosa said Duterte would consider an official's competence rather than whether he or she had in his home city.

"Hindi naman ganon kasarado ang utak ni Presidente na 'pag hindi ka taga-Davao hindi ka qualified, no. By merits 'yan. Nakita ni Presidente na natatrabaho ito, ito'y talagang totoong lumalaban sa ating kampanya then siya na parang ganon," Dela Rosa said on Tuesday.

"Kaya ako, kahit na taga-Davao ako tapos balatuba ako na opisyal, gawin kaya ako ni Presidente na chief PNP?  Di ba? Guaranteed na matagal na akong kasama ni Presidente sa Davao tapos kilala niya ako na balatuba na walang kwentang opisyal, i-appoint kaya niya ako as chief PNP?” he added.

Albayalde and Dela Rosa both belong to the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986.

Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario, a Davao City chief of police and the the No. 2 man in the PNP, was earlier reported as the next PNP chief.

But on April 5, Duterte announced in Malacañang that Albayalde would be the next PNP chief.

"Albayalde is the man for you. The stricter, the better," Duterte said.

Unlike Albayalde, Apolinario worked with the President as the city's chief of police from July 2008 to January 2010.

Other contenders for the post included chief of Directorial Staff Deputy Director General Archie Gamboa, Deputy Chief for Operation Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, and Director for Operations Director Camilo Cascolan who are all members of Class of 1986.

“So ang pagiging Davaoeño mo is immaterial sa pagiging chief PNP.  It is the trust and confidence sa Presidente na nakikita sayo dahil sa ginagawa mo,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa was supposed to retire on January 21 when he reached the mandatory age of 56 but the President had extended his term for three months or until April 21.

He is set to be appointed head of the Bureau of Corrections after his PNP stint. —NB, GMA News