Duterte to extend Bato’s tour of duty up to 3 months

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he would extend Philippine National Police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's term of duty by two to three more months.

"I said I will extend his tour of duty to something like two to three months. Once the projects are in place for operational, for functional, then he goes to the BuCor," he told reporters in Fort Bonifacio.

Dela Rosa is expected to retire in January next year. But the post of the Bureau of Corrections awaits him after his mandatory retirement.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, told reporters that he was told about the extension of his tour of duty during a boodle fight held before Duterte faced the media.

He said that his term's extension has something to do with drugs, terrorism, criminality in the light of the Congress' approval of extending the martial law in Mindanao until the end of 2018.

Duterte, however, refused to name Dela Rosa's successor.

At least two sources, however, have earlier confirmed to GMA News Online that Duterte has picked Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario as Dela Rosa's replacement. — MDM/BM, GMA News