Let me take you back to a scene from almost 10 years ago.
It was a crisp December morning in 2016 when Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, then the four-star chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), announced that the entire country was now under “Terror Alert Level 3.” This followed a supposed attempt by two suspects to plant an improvised explosive device near the United States embassy in Manila.
Since he and his aides’ explanations were scant about what the alert level meant, reporters followed him from Camp Crame to a nearby mall in Mandaluyong City for answers.
The event that took place before our eyes prompted more questions — not just about the alert level or the drug war that backdropped it, but if what we were seeing was real life.
Because in front of us and a sizable crowd gathered at the atrium of the mall was Dela Rosa as Santa Claus.
