Bato: PNP recalls detail

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa revealed on Tuesday the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recalled two security officers assigned to his residence in Davao City.

In a phone interview with reporters, Dela Rosa said the personnel were told to report back to their respective PNP units on Monday.

“When I returned to Davao, I no longer had security. They were instructed to report back to their units. They were just hanging around here, but when I arrived, they were gone,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino.

This came after the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on 11 March.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Dela Rosa confirmed his security detail had been “recalled by the PNP.”

But he said that retired cops and soldiers have volunteered to be his guards.

Sought for comment, the PNP Public Information Office quoted the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) which denied the claim, labeling it as “fake news.”

Dela Rosa, however, acknowledged that the police commanders were just being cautious.

“I understand them. They’re not making things difficult for me. They’re just being careful, thinking that they might get into trouble. So, I understand. They’re not trying to pressure me, they’re just avoiding any trouble on their part,” he said.

Dela Rosa emphasized the recall of his security detail was not a cause for concern.

“It’s just normal. They can be there, they cannot be there,” he said.

Dela Rosa, a key implementor of President Duterte’s war on drugs, was the first chief of police in the previous administration. He is also reportedly one of Duterte’s co-accused in the crimes against humanity case in the ICC.