Bato Dela Rosa declared adopted son and protector of T’Boli

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was recently declared as adopted son of municipality of T’Boli, named by tribe as “Datu Kemlang” the protector of the T’Boli people.

The people of T’Boli passed Municipal Resolution No. 02 and was awarded to Dela Rosa during his visit in the municipality on March 6, Thursday.

During his speech after receiving the resolution, Dela Rosa expressed his gratitude for the honor given to him by the T’boli people, especially amid the criticisms raised against him.

“Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang aking nararamdaman, pagpapasalamat at kaligayahan na inyo akong ginawang adopted son of T’Boli, at alam ko ang meaning ng aking pangalan, Datu Kemlung. Datu Kemlung means defender, protector. Very appropriate sa aking personality ang inyong ibinigay niyong pangalan, Datu Kemlung,” the Mindanaoan lawmaker said.

“Huwag po kayong mag-alala, hindi po masasayang ang inyong pag-adopt sa akin. I will make you proud being your adopted son of the T’Boli Tribe,” he added.

True to his commitment to protect not only the T’Boli tribe, Dela Rosa explained anew why he needed to implement the war on drugs during the Duterte administration.

“Ako’y kini-criticize ng kabilang kampo na ako ay tumakbong pagka-senador with blood on my hands…Ang sagot ko naman diyan, wala akong pakialam kung ang aking kamay ay nabahiran ng dugo basta ‘yan ay dugo ng mga taong masasama at kung kailangan mabahiran ng dugo ang aking mga kamay para maprotektahan ang buhay ng matitino, mababait at law-abiding citizen, ‘di ba?” Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police, said.

“Ano’ng gagawin ko? Nagpulis pa ako kung hindi ko kayang gawin ‘yan? Huwag ka nang magpulis if you are not ready to die, if you are not ready to kill and be killed. Kailangan mo ‘yan para magprotekta ng sarili mo, dapat ready kang magdepensa sa

sarili mo. Useless kang pulis kung hindi mo kayang protektahan ang mga peace-loving people,” he emphasized.

The reelectionist senator lamented that the gains of the Duterte administration’s drug war are slowly going to waste, because of the resurgence of narcotics on the streets.

“Nasasaktan ako sa nangyayari ngayon. Kahit kayo siguro ay napapansin na tumaas na naman ang krimen, dumami nanaman ang droga, madami na po ang gumagamit ng droga. Malinaw, nasayang ang anim na taon na paghihirap ni President Duterte para mawala ang problema sa droga. Ngayon, paunti-unti nanamang bumabalik,” he said.

He then appealed to the parents to love their children so they won’t be encouraged to use illegal drugs.

The former PNP chief led the Duterte administration’s war on drugs where at least 1.6 million drug users surrendered to the government.