‘Fatten yourselves up while you still can’

DRUG lords in the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP), the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City, are probably feeling “festive” for the term extension of Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

They can ‘fatten themselves up” now that de la Rosa’s next posting-head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)--has been put on hold.

The BuCor runs the country’s prisons, including the NBP.

President Rodrigo Duterte in a news conference on Tuesday night said he will extend de la Rosa’s term as PNP director general.

The country’s top policeman is set to retire this April. “Patuloy ang pa gpipistang mga drug lords doon. Pataba muna sila habang hindi pa ako dumating [The drug lords can continue the festivity. They can fatten themselves up until I report for work there],” de la Rosa said.

He assured that retired police Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian, the making sure everything is in order in the NBP.

De la Rosa previously ordered Special Action Force (SAF) head Noli Talino to deploy more troops to medium and minimum security jails in the national penitentiary.

Presence of more SAF commandos in other parts of the NBP will prevent more drug-related activities there, he said.

Duterte extended de la Rosa’s term again, also citing “some unfinished business” in the police organization such as flushing out police scalawags and police scoundrels.

De la Rosa accepted the term extension despite having already made retirement plans.

He said he will serve Duterte “until his last breath.”

De la Rosa was supposed to retire in January this year upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 but the President extended his term up to April.

He, however, said he was told by the President’s staff also on Thursday that he will stay in his