Should he win a reelection in the 2025 midterm elections, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said he will reiterate his push for a law removing political influence in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Dela Rosa said he would pursue again an amendment to the Local Government Code that allows local chief executives to choose the chief of police in their cities or municipalities.
"Uulitin ko 'yang proposal na 'yan dahil nga that's the only way na ma professionalize mo talaga to the fullest ang Philippine National Police. Uulitin at uulitin ko yan (I will repeat that proposal because that's the only way you can really professionalize the Philippine National Police to the fullest. I will repeat and repeat that),” said Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief.
"I've been a policeman my whole life. The most productive years of my life ginugol ko d'yan sa kapulisan kaya alam ko what ills our organization. Kung ano talaga ang pinakamalaking problema sa aming organisasyon, 'yang pakikialam ng mga pulitiko sa aming hanay. 'Yan ang pinakamabigat (I spent the most productive years of my life in the police force, so I know what ills our organization. What is really the biggest problem in our organization is the interference of politicians in our ranks. That's the heaviest),” he stressed.
Earlier, Dela Rosa sponsored and defended the bill that introduces organizational reforms in the PNP.
Unfortunately, he said the provision that seeks to remove the local chief executives' power to choose their city/municipal chief of police was not accepted in the final version of the bill.
The senator said he agreed to remove the said provision to save the other reforms that were included in the bill such as the setting of the retirement age to 57 years old.
In the end President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. vetoed the measure.
"Maganda sana sa PNP para maging professional talaga, tanggalin 'yung koneksyon nila sa pulitiko, 'yung control ng mga politicians over the PNP, tanggalin dapat yan...kasi hangga't nand'yan 'yan ma-politicize talaga ang PNP (It would be good for the PNP to become really professional, remove their connection with politicians, the control of politicians over the PNP should be removed...because as long as that is there, the PNP will be really politicized ," the senator said.
Dela Rosa said the PNP should be given authority to decide who, by merit, is going to be the provincial director, the regional director, the chief of police of every municipality.