Bato files COC, seeks Senate seat in 2019 polls

Photo by Cathrine Gonzales/INQUIRER.net

As promised, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa filed on Friday his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Manila as he guns for a Senate seat in the 2019 midterm elections.

Dela Rosa, former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and now head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is running under the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Asked why he wants a Senate seat, Dela Rosa said: “Gustong-gusto kong magserbisyo. I am too young to retire. Malakas pa ako. Marami pa akong magagawa para sa taong bayan.”

(I really want to serve. I am to young to retire. I am still strong. I can still do a lot for the nation.)

Dela Rosa said his candidacy was encouraged by President Rodrigo Duterte’s “instructions.”

“But initially, gustong-gusto ko talaga (I really want it),” he added.

Dela Rosa said many government agencies need to be fixed. He said he learned this during his leadership at the PNP and BuCor.

If he gets elected as senator, Dela Rosa said he will focus on maintaining peace and order in the country, including pushing for the restoration of the death penalty for offenders of drug trafficking and heinous crimes such as murder and rape.

READ: Bato to push for death penalty revival if he wins in 2019 polls

He also denied that the issue on alleged extra-judicial killings in the country would affect his chances in the 2019 polls.

Dela Rosa resigned as PNP chief in April 2018 after nearly two years at the frontline of the administration’s war on drugs. He was replaced by Director General Oscar Albayalde. /muf