Former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa took oath as a member of President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban Party on Wednesday, September 12.
Dela Rosa, notorious for leading the police force in the implementation of Duterte’s war on drugs campaign, took oath after confirming that he is running for a seat in the Senate after the president personally asked him to.
Dela Rosa noted that aside from Duterte’s request, his high ranking in the pre-election surveys also affected his decision to run.
“Kasama na rin ‘yun. Bakit naman magtatakbo-takbo ka kung di ka sigurado? Kung nasa ilalim ka, ‘di na ko [tatakbo],” Dela Rosa said.
Among Dela Rosa’s priorities if he will be elected in the Senate are the re-imposition of the death penalty for drug pushers and improving the law enforcement and correctional system in the country.
Dela Rosa was included in both PDP-Laban and presidential daughter Sara Duterte’s regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s list of possible senatorial candidates for the 2019 midterm elections.
Aside from Dela Rosa, former customs chief Nicanor Faeldon, and actor Phillip Salvador also took oath as new members with PDP-Laban president Senator Aquilino Pimentel III officiating the ceremony.
