Bato’s staying power

Those who thought embattled Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was already singing the line, “And now the end is near,” in Frank Sinatra’s song, “My Way,” may now think again.

President Rody Duterte has cleared him of any criminal liability in the kidnap- slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo. Never mind that Jee was strangled to death right under Bato’s nose.

Bato stays as PNP chief. Perhaps he was destined to do something, other than clowning.

Bato said he offered his resignation to the President when he attended his 55th birthday celebration Saturday night.

“As President Duterte entered, I told him, ‘Sir, they’re calling for my resignation. I’m offering my resignation.’ He replied: ‘No, just go to work,’” Bato said.

It looks like he has a lot of work to do to cleanse the PNP of scalawags. Let’s hope the PNP has not become the Augean stables of lore. Jee was murdered after he was kidnapped last year by a group led by a rogue policeman who extorted ransom from the victim’s wife.

Jee’s killing is the latest in a long list of criminal acts by PNP members, this time using “tokhangfor-ransom,” riding on the government’s war against illegal drugs that has some left more than 6,000 dead.

But Bato, President Duterte’s long-time security aide, has the President’s “complete trust” so he stays.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who earlier told Bato to resign and was also present during Bato’s birthday celebration, was now willing to give Bato a second chance.

No second chance was given at all to drug suspects slain in the brutal war against drugs.

Worse, corrupt PNP members are now using the war against drugs as a lucrative way to enrich themselves.

Bato, with the rock-solid support of the President, may yet be able to clean the ranks of the police force.

Bato should no longer wonder why some of his underlings are giving him a hard time.

If he’d be able to clean the PNP, someone may say this “rock” came from the basement of time.