SEN. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa prefers that Vice President Leni Robredo join anti-illegal drugs operations so she can have a direct feel of the real situation on the ground.
“Maganda para makita niya ang realities. Mahirap ‘yung you are leading the war inside the aircon room. If you are leading the war, you should be at the forefront para malaman mo ang situwasyon (It’s better [if she will join anti-illegal drugs operations] so she can see the realities. It is hard if you are leading the war inside an airconditioned room. If you are leading the war, you should be at the forefront so you will know the situation on the ground),” Dela Rosa told ABC CBN News Channel.
Dela Rosa’s view runs counter with PNP officer-in-charge Archie Gamboa who did not see the need for Robredo to join actual operations since she is a policy maker as co-chair of the Inter agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.
Dela Rosa pointed out that during his days in the police force, he was an “operator” who always wanted to be in front of every operation so he can have a direct feel of the situation.
“Ayoko sa gitna kasi gusto ko malaman ang playing field, ang battle field, so that I know how to deploy my men para ma-spread ko ang aking tropa. ‘Yun ang pananaw ko (I don’t like to be in the middle because I want to have a feel of the playing field, so that I know how to deploy my men, so I can spread out my men. That’s my opinion),” he added.
But Dela Rosa clarified that it will still be the call of the Vice President if she wants to join actual drug operations as doing so might compromise her safety.
“Nasa kanya na ‘yan. Nasa dibdib na niya ‘yan kung kakayanin niya i-risk ang kanyang buhay, nasa kanya na ‘yan. May risk talaga (It is really all up to her. It is up to her if she can risk her life because joining operations is very risky),” he also said.
Also, Dela Rosa said Robredo should first buckle down to work and show positive results in the war on drugs before she asks for additional funds.
Besides, he said, Robredo can make do with whatever funds ICAD has for operational expenses.
“Mahirap naman kapapasok mo pa lang funds na agad ang hinahanap mo.
Trabaho muna, you make do with what resources are with you (It’s odd that you are immediately looking for funds as you are just new to the job. Buckle down to work, you can make do with what resources you have with you),” Dela Rosa said, adding that the budget for Robredo’s anti-drugs operations will have to be approved first by Congress before she can have it.
Dela Rosa also said he agrees with Robredo’s position that anti-illegal drugs operatives must always wear body cameras so their superiors can get the real picture of what happened during an operation.
