Indonesia's National Police honors Bato with highest award

MANILA, Philippines — Indonesia's National Police conferred the medal of honor on Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Wednesday for his contribution to the security of the Philippines and Indonesia.

 

The "Bintang Bhayangkara Utama", the highest medal for the National Police, was presented by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

 

In a Jakarta Post report that mentions awards for the police chiefs of the Philippines, Australia and Singapore, Gen. H. Muhammad Tito Karnavian of the INP said "the awards were given to them for their intensive collaboration [with the National Police] in combating terrorism." 

 

In a video sent to ABS-CBN News, dela Rosa said the award would “inspire [him] to exert more effort in [the] drug war.”

 

He also expressed his gratitude to Widodo and to Gen. H. Muhammad Tito Karnavian of the INP.

 

 

Dela Rosa, who was supposed to retire on January 21, had been ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to serve as the head of the country’s police force until April 21.

 

With his term being extended, dela Rosa vowed that more drug personalities would be arrested.

 

He is set to become the next head of the Bureau of Corrections after his retirement from the PNP.

 

Dela Rosa has been heavily criticized for leading the government’s war on drugs, which has killed over 12,000 individuals—including minors—according to rights watchdogs. The government disputes these numbers and only counts a little over 4,000 "drug personalities" killed in police operations.

 

READ: Bato to drug war critics: You’re ingrates