Bato hits HRW, rights groups: File a case against me

Retiring PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa during his farewell visit (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa challenged the Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other rights groups to file a case against him on their accusations in the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“Mag-file kayo ng kaso kung talagang totoo ang sinasabi niyo. Puro kayo dakdak (You should file a case if what you are saying is true. All you do is make noise),” dela Rosa said in an ambush interview on April 18, Wednesday, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) change of command ceremony.

The retiring top cop reacted to HRW’s statement saying that as he leaves his post, “he will leave behind a police force with a sordid human rights record unmatched since the Marcos dictatorship.”

“Police statistics, which independent analyses have derided as featuring ‘flawed and inflated numbers,’ reflect a lower death toll of more than 4,000 killings by police in anti-drug operations. But Human Rights Watch research found that many of the killings have been summary executions in which police or their agents planted weapons and drugs on bodies and then claimed the victims had ‘fought back.’ No one has been held to account for these killings,” HRW added.

“Bakit ayaw nilang ibalita ang mga pulis ko na namatay sa engkwentro? Andaming pulis na namatay sa engkwentro. Bakit ‘yung mga adik at pusher na namatay ‘yan lagi pinagdadakdak? (How come they do not report on the policemen that died in the encounters? A lot of cops died in the encounters. Why are they always making noise on the addicts and the pushers that died?)” dela Rosa said.

The outgoing chief also extended his dare to other human rights groups that accuse him of violations, saying he is ready to face them all.

Dela Rosa is set to leave his post on April 19, after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte extended his term after his mandatory retirement on January 21.

The President also appointed him to head the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) dubbed by Duterte as the “toughest job in the government” after his PNP chief stint.