Bato hopes Marcos admin will sustain Duterte's aggressiveness in drug war

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Friday expressed hope that the Marcos administration would sustain the aggressiveness of former President Rodrigo Duterte in resolving the drug problem in the Philippines.

Although the administration has yet to disclose its approach to the anti-illegal drugs campaign, Dela Rosa said adopting Duterte's drug war policies would stop the drug lords and narco-politicians from regaining their power.

"In terms of aggressiveness, dapat ma-sustain nila 'yung aggressiveness ng Duterte administration sa approach to drug war para hindi na makabangon itong malalaking drug lord at itong mga politicians. [Para itong] mga nasa gobyerno na involved sa droga ay hindi na makakabalik," Dela Rosa said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

"I hope they can sustain the momentum of the Duterte administration sa drug war," he added.

Last Monday, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said the drug war under Marcos would be as intensive as the efforts of the previous administration.

In the same interview, Dela Rosa, who served as the first National Police chief under the Duterte administration and was tagged as the chief architect of the drug war, advised Abalos to ensure that the so-called ninja cops or the policemen who are allegedly involved in the recycling of seized drugs would not return to the service.

"I advise Secretary Benhur Abalos na isa 'yan sa dapat niyang pagtuunan ng pansin, na bantayan niyo 'yan, ensure that these ninja cops cannot go back again sa serbisyo," he said.

According to the lawmaker, some of these ninja cops were just waiting for Duterte to step down from office so they could go back into the service and continue their operations.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said it was up to the Marcos administration if they would cooperate with the International Criminal Court's investigation of Duterte's drug war.

"Kung hindi naman sila papayag ay hindi makapasok yung ICC investigators dito. But kung papayag sila, then makapasok and the probe will go on. So I leave it up to the administration," he said

In June, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested a pre-trial chamber to authorize the resumption of the investigation into Duterte's war on drugs.

Khan said the Philippine government had not demonstrated that it investigated or was investigating its nationals or others in connection with the series of killings attributed to the anti-drug campaign.

Dela Rosa reiterated his opposition to the ICC probe, explaining that the body had no right to interfere with the country's "domestic affairs."

"Being accused number two, I am not in favor because I don't think they have the right to interfere [in] our domestic affairs," the senator said.

The former PNP chief also argued that the three branches of the government were "functioning perfectly well" and it would be a slap on the face of the local courts if they would allow the ICC to enter the country for their investigation.

"We have a functioning judicial system. Sampal yan sa ating mga korte kung sila ay papasok dito. Hindi naman ito kagaya ng ibang bansa na hindi nagfa-function yung courts," he said.

"We don't have a one-man group here. The three branches of government are functioning perfectly well. So I don't think they deserve to be here," he added. — DVM, GMA News