PO1 Bato mascot to bring cops closer to kids

MANILA, Philippines - Police Officer 1 Bato, a bald police officer in full uniform, is the new mascot of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and will visit schools and communities to bring the police closer to the people.

The mascot was named after PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, who is also called Bato due to his physique and his residence in Barangay Bato in Davao.

The mascot rendered a dance number yesterday during the PNP’s regular flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City to the delight of police officers and special guest, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar.

Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, chief of the Police Community Relations Group, said the mascot, which was introduced to the public yesterday during the 24th anniversary of the PCRG, will also be used as part of the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Cruz said PO1 Bato was designed to make the community, especially children, love and not fear the police.

Dela Rosa was obviously delighted as his namesake mascot danced in front of more than 100 police officers on the parade grounds.

Aside from the mascot, the PCRG also presented a five-minute puppet show with characters resembling President Duterte, Dela Rosa and two drug pushers and users discussing the bad effects of illegal drugs.

The PCRG also presented comic strips entitled “Itaga mo sa Bato,” about the life of a drug pusher who later realized his illegal activities and became a law abiding citizen.

Under Dela Rosa, the PNP has intensified the campaign against illegal drugs, which has so far resulted in the killing of 395 drug pushers and users, arrest of 5,251 others and surrender of 545,589 confessed drug personalities.

Dela Rosa recently met his Malaysian counterpart Inspector General Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and other police chiefs from member-states of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and highlighted the need for intensified cooperation against illegal drugs. – With Pia Lee-Brago