“BATO: SERVICE WITH A CLEAN HEART”

Bato, his monicker, if literally translated, means stone or rock, but he promises to have a “heart” if catapulted into the Philippine senate.

And clean heart that is, former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa vowed infront of his Cebuano supporters who held a dinner and concert for him last Saturday night in The Tent of Mandani Bay in Mandaue City.

“I come with a clean heart,” dela Rosa who came in brown checkered long sleeves and slacks said, adding, “Pwede ninyo ablihon ang akong kasing-kasing, kung naa moy makita nga marka o hugaw sa pag-abuso o hugaw sa pangurakot, hugaw sa pagkadautan (You can open my heart, if you will see any mark or dirt of abuse, dirt of corruption, dirt of being nefarious),

please do not support me, I don’t deserve your support. I am not worthy of your support. Mao nang nag-atubang ko ninyo karun, isog ko nga nakig-atubang kaninyo, kahibalo ko, limpyo ko nga pagkatawo (That is why I am facing you now, I am brave in facing you, I know, that I am clean as person),” drawing applause from the crowd that included the President’s alter ego in the Visayas, Sec. Michael Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV).

The erstwhile PNP top gun promised not to engage in corruption and other shenanigans if he will win in the May 13, 2019 midterm polls.

Dela Rosa previously landed in the top 12 of a senatorial survey in December but the latest coming from the Social Weather Station (SWS) placed him in the 13th spot.

He said that in his stint as PNP chief, no corruption has ever happened recalling how he refused bribe offers of “huge-money” from illegal gambling, among others.

                     SON OF A TRICYLE DRIVER, GREW UP POOR

He told his audience that he grew up poor in Davao del Sur, explaining that it greatly molded him into not engaging in any anomalies while he was in government.

According to dela Rosa, his father, was only a tricycle driver, while his mother, was an ambulant vendor in their public market.

He also recalled going to school without eating at times when his father could not even pay for the “boundary (rental)” of the tricycle.

“Anad ko sa kinabuhi nga ordinaryo lang. Nagdako ko nga ang akong amahan tricycle driver, akong inahan, magbaligya lang sa palengke bisag unsa. Musulod ko sa akong eskwelahan walay sulod ang tiyan, gutom, kay wala may malung-ag nga bugas (I am used to living an ordinary life. I grew up having a father who is a tricycle driver, my mother, sells anything in the market. I would go to school without eating, hungry, because we have no rice to cook).”

There were instances that he would go to school walking for several kilometers, he added, because they are penniless that he could not even have a fare for ten centavos.

“Baktas sa eskwelahan, otso kilometros paingon ug pabalik kay walay pamilete, dyes sentabos ang pamilete pero wala man gyuy kwarta, baktas (Hike to school, back in forth for eight kilometers because I have nothing for fare, the fare is ten centavos but since there is really no money, hike),” drawing more attention from his audience as dela Rosa emphatically enumerated how he experienced poverty and hardships in life.