Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said his love for country and willingness to lay his life for the Filipinos came from his ancestor, national hero Jose Rizal.

Dela Rosa was the guest of honor and speaker at the celebration of Rizal’s 156th birth anniversary held in Calamba, Laguna on Monday morning.

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The police chief, who hails from Davao province, said he was a proud descendant of Rizal.

“Kung magresearch ka makita niyo sa kanilang family tree, sa mother side isa sa mga lola niya Ines dela Rosa kaya yun ang kina-capitalize ko na kineclaim ko na descendant ako ni Jose Rizal,” he told reporters in Calamba.

(If you research their family tree, on his mother side, one of his grandmothers is Ines dela Rosa so that’s what I’m capitalizing, that I’m claiming to be a descendant of Jose Rizal.)

“Lahat naman tayong Filipino very proud of our national hero; lalung-lalo na nagkataon na descendant siya ng isang Dela Rosa kaya kineclaim ko na rin na relative ko siya. I’m very proud of that. Pinagmamayabang ko ‘yan,” he said.

(Every Filipino is very proud of our national hero; especially that he happens to be a descendant of a Dela Rosa, so I’m claiming that he’s a relative of mine. I’m very proud of that.)

It was during a high school field trip in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte when he discovered his connection with Rizal.

“Alam ko ito noong high school ako, nagkaroon kami ng field trip doon sa Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. Nakita ko sa bahay ni Rizal, sa records doon na merong family tree doon na may Ines dela Rosa,” he recalled.

(I found this out in high school, we had a field trip in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. I saw Rizal’s house, and in the records there where there’s a family tree, there was an Ines dela Rosa.)

“Kaya magmula noon nung may buhok pa ako pilit ko nang ginagaya yung kanyang hawi ng buhok,” he said.

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(From then on, when I still had hair, I would copy the way his hair was parted.)

Asked what qualities he inherited from the national hero, Dela Rosa said it would be his love for the country.

“I can proudly say ‘yung pagmamahal sa bayan. Mahal na mahal ko ang bayang Pilipinas na I’m willing to die for this country. Siguro ‘yun ang namanana ko sa aking ninuno,” he said.

(I can proud say that it’s my love for country. I love the Philippines so much that I’m willing to die for this country. That’s what I inherited from my ancestor.) JE/rga

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