Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa had to reinstate a controversial police official as the order came from President Rodrigo Duterte, a spokesman said.

This was the response of the PNP after Duterte's revelation Friday night he was the one who ordered Dela Rosa to reinstate Superintendent Marvin Marcos as head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8.

His spokesman, Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, said Dela Rosa to follow Duterte's order.

"It's the commander-in-chief giving the order. It came from the highest chief. So we have to follow it," Carlos said in an interview over dzBB radio.

"It's like this. I ordered Bong (the nickname of Special Presidential Assistant Christopher Go) to call. By the time, he handed the phone, dela Rosa answered It," Duterte said in an ambush interview in Davao City Friday night.

Duterte explained he was monitoring Marcos' activities amid reports of the police official's involvement in illegal drugs.

"I said do not remove the guy (Superintendent Melvin Marcos) because .. I am doing an investigative job," said Duterte.

Dela Rosa did not reply to a request for a statement from Daily Manila Shimbun..

Dela Rosa, in earlier interviews, said a government official higher than him who he called his "kumpare" or friend, asked him to reinstate Marcos to his previous post.

Marcos was the official who led the serving of a search warrant at the Leyte sub-provincial Jail in Baybay City last November which led to the deaths of former Albuera municipal Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and another inmate, Raul Yap.

Marcos was reinstated before the implementation of a search warrant against Espinosa.

Dela Rosa, when asked if Duterte was the one who ordered him, parried the question by saying the President is not his "kumpare" but his "ninong."

Carlos said the public should look at the history between Duterte and dela Rosa.

"It goes back in the days when our chief PNP was a young lieutenant and our commander-in-chief being the mayor of Davao City," said Carlos. Emmanuel Tupas/.DMS