Ex-president Duterte may seek Senate seat in 2025 – Sen. Dela Rosa

Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte may seek out a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections if the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation pushes through, Senator Ronald dela Rosa said on Thursday.

Dela Rosa, in a virtual interview, said that Duterte’s possible candidacy has been raised by several fellow PDP-Laban members, although the former president still has not decided on it.

Dela Rosa and Duterte are both part of the PDP-Laban wing under former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

 “Isa ‘yan sa posibilidad, pwedeng mangyari, kasi naririnig ko na ‘yan sa meeting-meeting namin eh, lahat ng mga, majority ng aming kasamahan sa partido ay gustong tumakbo si Pangulong Duterte,” dela Rosa told reporters.

(That’s one of the possibilities, what might happen, I’ve heard anout it during our different meetings, the majority of our co-members in the party want former president Duterte to run senator.)

“And everyone is excited kung tumakbo siya (if he runs), but the final say remains with the former president,” he added.

Dela Rosa, however, clarified that Duterte would not be running for the Senate to seek protection from any possible outcome of the ICC probe.

Dela Rosa and Duterte are among the respondents in the complaints filed before ICC, for allegedly committing the crimes against humanity during the implementation of the war against illegal drugs.

 “Hindi naman siguro, hindi naman for protection purposes, dahil hindi naman niya kailangan ng protection pa ‘no, because I am sure this government, the present government is reasonable enough, the former president shall be protected, hindi naman niya kailangan ng additional protection,” dela Rosa said.

(I don’t think that’s the case, it’s not for protection purposes, because he does not need protection now, because I am sure this government, the present government is reasonable enough, the former president shall be protected, he does not need additional protection.)

“Pero sa kanya (Duterte) lang is siguro, just to make sure na he can still contribute […] towards nation-building ng ating bansa.  After his six-year term as president, baka pakiramdam niya meron pang naiwan sa kanya na pwede pang i-share sa ating mga kababayan na hinahanap-hanap naman ng ating mga kababayan so baka mag-give in siya to that pressure,” he added.

(Maybe for him, he just wants to make sure he can still contribute […] towards nation-building of our country. After his six-year term as president, maybe he feels he can still give more and share to our people, which the masses desire, so maybe he would give in to that pressure.)

The Senator also noted that the former president has not decided on proposals for him to return to public service.

 Last October, several groups who were involved in the filing of the complaints against Duterte sent statements he uttered at his SMNI program Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa — that he used intelligence funds to do extrajudicial killings (EJKs) while he was Davao mayor — to the ICC as further evidence.

This issue led to the revival of proposals that asked the government to cooperate with the ICC probe, despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. initially saying that his administration would no longer engage with the international body.