Now we know that the Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wasn’t born with a body made for the wrestling ring.
On his official Facebook page, the 54-year-old shared a throwback photo of himself with a smaller frame and more hair.
Sporting the usual military camouflage and black boots, a significantly younger Dela Rosa is smiling for the camera. He is also carrying a firearm.
“Sa mga nagtatanong kung ano raw itsura ko na may buhok,” he captioned the photo
(“To those asking how I looked like with hair…”)
The former chief of Davao City Police Office was hand picked by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new police chief.
Dela Rosa earned a degree in Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Administration at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City.
An old school document from his alma mater was posted by a netizen on the comments section. A 19-year-old Dela Rosa could be seen on the ID photo.
He earned the name “Bato” when he came back to Davao City heavily muscled after his training at the Philippine Military Academy.
“Batong bato yung katawan ko. Pag-[return] ko dun sa Camp Catitipan sa Davao City, yung mga senior officers ko dun, nung nakita ako, sabi nila ‘Bato!’ Bato yung tawag sa’kin,” he said in an earlier interview in ANC’s Headstart.
(“My body was heavily muscled. When I returned to Camp Catitipan in Davao City, the senior officers saw me and called “Rock!”)
The nickname was reinforced because he actually came from Barangay Bato, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
Even the President himself calls him Bato, he said.
