Bato dela Rosa kneels, asks cops to tell truth in Senate drug haul probe

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa kneeled at a Senate hearing on Tuesday and asked his former colleagues in the Philippine National Police to tell the truth about the P6.7-billion drug haul seized in Manila in 2022.

Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief and chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, pleaded in front of policemen being linked to the controversy to disclose the truth behind the arrest of dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. in October 2022.

Mayo, who served as an intelligence officer for the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group, was nabbed after authorities confiscated some 990 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of over P6.7 billion in a series of anti-drug operations in Manila.

“Please. Magsalita na kayo. Maawa kayo sa Pilipinas. Magluhod ako sa harapan ninyo, magsabi na kayo ng totoo. Luhod ako. Hindi ito power tripping ha. Nagpapakumbaba na ako para ilabas ang katotohanan alang alang sa mga anak ninyo,” Dela Rosa said.

(Please. Speak now. Pity the Philippines. I will kneel before you, just tell the truth. I'm on my knees now. This is not power-tripping. I’m now humbling myself for you to tell the truth for the sake of your children.)

Earlier in the day, the panel cited Mayo and his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Arnulfo Ibañez, in contempt. 

Five other cops from the Calabarzon region, namely Police Master Sergeant Carlo Bayeta, Patrolman Rommar Bugarin, Patrolman Hustin Peter Gular, Patrolman Hassan Kalaw, and Patrolman Dennis Carolino, were also cited in contempt for refusing to share information on the arrest of Mayo in Bambang last year.

PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. earlier said there was no plan to cover up the Mayo drug mess, and there was no attempt to delay the investigation into Mayo’s supposed involvement in it.