PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday, Dec. 13, said he will extend to three months the term of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director-General Ronald M. Dela Rosa, who is due to retire on Jan. 21 next year when he reaches the retirement age of 56.

Mr. Duterte bared his decision to extend Mr. Dela Rosa’s term in an interview with reporters Wednesday afternoon.

“I said I will extend his tour of duty to something like two to three months. Once the projects are in place or operational or functional, then he goes to the BuCor,” Mr. Duterte said, referring to the Bureau of Corrections that he said on Wednesday was Mr. Dela Rosa’s next assignment.

Mr. Dela Rosa said of his term extension that he is somehow “pressured” because he might not be able to do what Mr. Duterte had asked him to do: “Pressured ako dahil I may not meet the expectation of the President baka mag-fail ako.”

Asked about the mission he is tasked to accomplish as PNP chief on extension, Mr. Dela Rosa broadly referred to the government campaign against drugs, terrorism, and criminality, particularly in Mindanao.

“Hindi ako pwedeng mag-ayaw. Given the choice, ang sarap na retired ka nang ginagawa, but I’m not running away from that responsibility,” Mr. Dela Rosa said. (I cannot refuse. Given the choice, it’s great to retire, but I’m not running away from that responsibility.)

“I have to deliver. Hindi ako tatakbo sa responsibilidad (I will not shirk responsibility),” he added. — Rosemarie A. Zamora

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