President Rodrigo Duterte will retain Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) despite calls for the latter’s resignation.
Duterte said Dela Rosa has his “complete trust” amid issues hounding the PNP following the death of South Korean businessman Ick Joo Jee inside Camp Crame and reported “tokhang for ransom” incidents.
According to ABS-CBN News’ Jeff Canoy, Dela Rosa has offered his resignation to Duterte, who refused to accept it.
Read: Gen. Bato: ‘I will ask Duterte if he wants me to resign’
Dela Rosa added that Duterte knows him well, and knows what he is capable of.
Duterte, who attended Dela Rosa’s birthday celebration in Camp Crame, said he will not be where he is today if not for Dela Rosa.
Calls for Dela Rosa to resign erupted last week after he admitted that Jee was killed inside Camp Crame.
Netizens took to social media to express their disappointment with the PNP chief with the hashtag #BatoResign.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez also joined the call for Dela Rosa’s resignation “to save President Duterte from further embarrassment.”
Dela Rosa has previously said he is willing to leave his post if Duterte orders him to do so.
An “outraged” Malacañang on Sunday also assured the public that there will be no cover-up in Jee’s death.
“We assure everyone that there will be no whitewash or cover-up,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernersto Abella said.
This story first appeared on ABS-CBN News Online and is republished with permission.
