Dela Rosa’s visit to Cebu today ‘a morale booster’

CEBU, Philippines - PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is expected to lead activities in line with 116th anniversary celebration of police service at the regional police headquarters in Cebu City today.

If things go according to plan, dela Rosa will arrive at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) at around 10:20 a.m. today.

From the airport, he will proceed to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City to visit Police Officer 1 Dennis Valiente, who was wounded during a recent anti-drug operation.

Dela Rosa will then proceed to the Police Regional Office-7 where he is expected to be given full arrival honors and join local police personnel in a boodle fight.

PRO-7 Director Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino told The FREEMAN that dela Rosa’s visit will boost the morale of the local police force amid the recent backlash on the killing of 17-year-old high school student Kian Loyd delos Santos during an anti-illegal drug operation in Caloocan City.

“Yes, 100 percent morale booster and pagbisita ni Chief PNP Bato in spite of the issue regarding Cardinal Tagle and Kian,” Espino said.

Espino also said PRO-7 will continue to be steadfast in curbing the drug problem here by reducing the supply of shabu.

“PRO-7 continues to follow its standard police operational procedures in all anti-illegal drug operations under Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded. We know that this campaign has been effective in reducing the supply of shabu because the cost per gram of shabu continues to skyrocket,” he said.

“The rising prices, however, are also the reason why pushers take risk to sell shabu and fight it out with the police,” he added.

During the program proper, dela Rosa is expected to award select policemen and police detachments.

Dela Rosa’s visit to the regional headquarters today is part of a nationwide caravan marking the anniversary celebration of police service. He was in Palo, Leyte yesterday for the Eastern Visayas leg of the caravan and will be in Northern Mindanao tomorrow. (FREEMAN)