President Duterte said that he was trying to figure out something when he asked Dela Rosa to keep Marcos in his post.
"In-impose ko iyong order ko kay Bato. That's my discretion. I have control of the police and of the army. I guarantee you, there was nothing wrong with it. I was just trying figure out something there.
"Hindi ko kasi malaman kung it was a network or a work of one or two policemen. So I have to study more. There was nothing to it," he said.
The Bilibid Queen Leila De Lima once accused Duterte of being the country's top drug lord for ordering Marcos' reinstatement.
"Huwag kayong matakot. I do not receive drug money. Susmaryosep. Iyong sa mga kasintahan ko. Kung may pera silang ibigay sa akin, tanggapin ko kasi it's out of love. Do not... Bigyan mo akong pera? Babarilin kita sa harap ko," Duterte said.
Before admitting that he was the one who called Dela Rosa, Duterte said he did not want Marcos to be sacked because he was trying to verify the police officer's drug links.
"Kaya sabi ko as it is kayo diyan. Doon ko nalaman na si Dolina malinis. Si Marcos, may tama. Kaya huwag mong galawin kasi gusto kong tignan," he said.
