Bato Dela Rosa denies DDS involvement, questions its existence

Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa denied any involvement in or support for the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and questioned its existence during a press briefing at the Defense and Sporting Arms Show in Davao City on Wednesday.

Dela Rosa addressed recent claims made by former PCSO general manager Royina Garma, who confirmed the DDS's existence in an affidavit to the House Quad Committee investigating extrajudicial killings.

The senator also denied knowledge of scenarios where written notes were left beside corpses stating 'This is DDS', emphasizing that he has never supported or condoned such practices and dismissed allegations of a reward system for police officers involved in anti-drug operations.

Dela Rosa stated that any reward system during his time was intended only for apprehensions of the most wanted persons from the list of terrorists and hardcore criminals, not drug suspects.

The senator vowed to 'set the record straight' on allegations during the Senate's upcoming investigation into Former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, scheduled to start on October 28.