MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang could not confirm nor deny the large cash Christmas bonuses that President Rodrigo Duterte was supposed to give top police personnel.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella was reacting to the earlier announcement of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, who said on Monday that top police officers were set to receive cash gifts from the President himself.

Asked why Dela Rosa announced the cash gifts if Malacañang did not know about it, Abella said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, December 20: “That I do not know. But as far I can tell you, what can I tell you authoritatively is that according to General Bato, it has not been released and apparently it is not forthcoming.”

On Monday, the PNP chief said the cash gifts could be tapped from the President’s Intelligence Fund.

“‘Wag na kayong magtanong saan galing. Basta ‘di ‘yan galing sa drugs. Galing ‘yan siguro sa intelligence fund ng Presidente (Don’t ask where it comes from. But I tell you, it’s not from drugs. I suppose it comes from the President’s intelligence funds),” Dela Rosa told reporters then.

On Tuesday, however,  Dela Rosa said the bonuses “did not come.”

Asked whether somebody was playing “Grinch” by stopping the release of the cash gifts to the police officers,  Abella said: “I wouldn’t know about anybody playing Grinch. Probably so, I cannot say authoritatively.”

A source close to Duterte denied the President gave Christmas cash gifts to police.

On Tuesday morning, the day after Dela Rosa made the announcement, top PNP officials met with Duterte at the Palace. – Rappler.com