‘Bato’ to promoted cops: Prove you deserve your rank

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa urged over 30,000 newly promoted police officers to prove themselves by improving their service to the people and waging an intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

“With your promotion, I now expect a stronger and more efficient police service,” he said during the mass promotion ceremony at Camp Crame during yesterday’s weekly flag-raising.

 “But this is not time for you to sit back and rest on your laurels. This must inspire and encourage you more and to do even better service to our nation and to prove to the rest of the PNP and to our countrymen that you indeed deserve the added rank on your shoulders,” he added.

Dela Rosa said 30,893 police officers were promoted nationwide, with 2,726 of them commissioned officers or ranked from Inspector to Superintendent.

The remaining 28,167 are non-commissioned officers and have the ranks of Police Officer 2 to Senior Police Officer 4.

Dela Rosa noted that 663 commissioned officers and 1,077 non-commissioned officers who were promoted are assigned to Camp Crame-based national support units, Command Group and Directorial Staff.

Dela Rosa congratulated the newly promoted police officers, noting their collective outstanding performance and their adherence to police ideals.

He reminded them of President Duterte’s directive for the police to stamp out crime, illegal drugs, and corruption within three to six months.

The PNP chief warned any police officer who uses or pushes drugs or protects drug pushers or drug lords has no place in the police force.

Photo shows PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa buying all the fruit juice packs a boy was selling after he lost some of his wares when people in the crowd shoved him. EC TOLEDO IV

As he acknowledged the danger of his job and the enormity of his responsibility to the nation, Dela Rosa urged all policemen nation to support him to be able to accomplish their mission.

 “I accepted this job without reservation, as I knew that I would be supported by the gallant and highly capable men and women of the PNP,” he said.

“Change is happening around us, but for change to be truly effective, it must start from every individual in the PNP,” he added.

Dela Rosa assured the police officers that as long as they do their jobs well, they “will be rewarded and supported well by the PNP leadership.”