A formidable rock

The biggest winner in the recent Senate hearings on the anti-drug war is none other than the PNP chief, Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa. He exuded just the right mix of toughness and heart. He has this sense of humor that eases built-up tension in the hearings at just the right time.

Here is how blogger Leo Alejandrino saw him: “For the record, Bato is awesome. He is Kojak, Dirty Harry, a teddy bear and your favorite uncle rolled into one. He is fearless, direct, compassionate, funny, seemingly honest, reactive and tough. Think pet mastiff.”

Like President Duterte, “Bato” naturally charms his audience by plain talk... totoong tao, hindi plastic. He has no studied pretensions common with Manila-bred officials, like those senators. His plea for understanding... that policemen are not butchers who enjoy killing people cuts right through the controversies that brought about a Senate hearing.

Formidable as a rock doesn’t mean he isn’t also running scared. Fighting the anti-drug war is not an ordinary police assignment.

I think “Bato” came to realize he isn’t just going to do battle with drug lords. He needs to wage an internal war in his own police force. That’s the scary and heartbreaking part.

You can almost feel Bato’s sense of betrayal as he related his alarm after finding out there are more cops involved in the illegal drugs trade than he thought. The PNP chief stopped short of saying he wanted them dead, but effectively said it anyway.

“If I have my way, di ko na lang sasabihin pero di ko ma-imagine na pulis, you swore to protect tapos ikaw ang magdo-droga. Di ko na sasabihin, alam ko na alam mo ang ibig ko sabihin. Gigil na gigil ako,” he said.

It is one thing to fight the drug lords or even the politicians protecting them. But it is not easy to go against your “mistahs” in the process of cleaning up the police of those who use the uniform to be crime lords themselves. It brings out the question of public trust in its police: Can the police police the police?

“Bato” told the senators about 300 police officers may be involved in the dangerous drug trade. But he expects the number to go as high as 1,600 out of the 160,000 members of the PNP.

“Bato” takes personally the treachery of the errant officers. “Ayaw ko kahit isang pulis ko involved sa droga. Pero ito sobra sa 10, sobra 100, sobra 300. Mabigat sa akin,” De la Rosa said during the Senate hearing. As he puts it, “nabulaga kami sa dami…”

One might wonder what kind of Pollyanna officer is this “Bato” who would express shock and disappointment that so many police officers are crooks. Many of us have long concluded that fact of life.

There is this long running joke… how come the police are always first at the scene of the crime? Answer: because they committed it.

I know… so unfair of the many men in uniform who put their lives at risk to protect ours. But we can’t be blamed. 

The story is often told of a car theft victim going to the PNP anti carnapping section to report it, only to find out the one who took his car is now in uniform ready to blotter his complaint.

But “Bato” has apparently retained his idealism that feeds his “gung ho” attitude. He is determined to perform his assignment of restoring peace and order and cleaning up the police of undesirable elements… if it kills him.

Bato’s mission isn’t easy specially in the context of our laws. He has to presume the police scalawags are innocent even if he knows beyond doubt they are guilty as hell. There are processes to follow.

Dealing with his fellow police officers is the scary and frustrating part of Bato’s assignment. I saw him on a newscast clip pleading with a roomful of police officers about to be investigated by the PNP’s Internal Affairs Office. 

He cursed them. He told them they are a disgrace to the uniform. And he also cajoled them and told them he is only showing them tough love as a father would.

The thing with Bato is… you can feel the words coming out of his heart… no platitudes… just plain good old fatherly advice as he expressed concern for the men who have lost their way, but are still his responsibility. A police officer would have to be a hardened crook to even think of disappointing this earnest man again.

But Bato and his boss should also go more forcefully against vigilante killings. There are just too many of that going on and that’s damaging the image of their legitimate police operations.

There are also too many suspicious police killings of poor suspects. They should tell the police force that, while they have the right to defend themselves, they don’t have the right to execute a suspect and falsely claim self defense.

I suppose Bato and his boss are carefully calibrating their approach. They do not want to curb the enthusiasm of the force to go out there and clean the nation of the drug menace.

But they must strongly deliver the message that any abuse will be dealt with severely. The police officers involved in those extremely suspicious killings in Pasay City should be disciplined. Masampolan, ika nga.

Bato said he is also very opposed to vigilante and extra judicial killings. But maybe, he is also prioritizing his concerns. He and his boss want to make it clear the criminals can no longer use our legal system to escape justice. Right now, he can’t dilute that message.

No PNP chief has been given a tougher assignment in recent memory than General Bato de la Rosa. Indeed, if he manages well the next few years before his mandatory retirement age, Bato is sure to have a very promising afterlife as a civilian still in the public service.

Bato’s very pleasant personality with his ready smile and charisma makes it difficult to dislike him. If he performs well, it will be very easy for the masa to gravitate to him as Digong’s successor. He will be seen as more worthy than any of the professional career politicians salivating for the top job.

Formidable as a rock, but running scared! That’s the way to go for a police chief who just might accomplish the impossible: winning back public trust in the police.

 NAIA safety

A source wrote to clarify points in my column last Wednesday:

‘ILS 06 used in the shorter runway is owned and maintained by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)’

06-24 is the same main runway, just the designations are 180 degrees apart. One end is referred to as ‘06’ meaning heading of approximately 60 degrees while ‘24’ is a heading of approximately 240 degrees or 180 degrees apart. 13-31 is the designation for the short, cross-wind runway,

Apparently 06-24 has ILS approaches in both directions, but the ILS for the 06 end is not working. Scary!

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.