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

Restoring the death penalty is one of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s agenda should he win in the 2019 senatorial race.

“Drug trafficking, saka other heinous crimes, ‘yong mga rape,” Dela Rosa told reporters before he filed his certificate of candidacy for senator at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila on Friday.

He will run under the banner of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

READ: Bato files COC, seeks Senate seat in 2019 polls

BuCor chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Photo by Gabriel Pabico Lalu / INQUIRER.net

Aside from the restoration of the death penalty, Dela Rosa said he also supports the lowering of the age of criminal liability.

“Yes, ibalik niyo sa dati,” Bato said, referring to the proposed bill of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to lower the age of criminal liability to 12. 

READ: Sotto wants to lower age of criminal liability to 12

These advocacies are also two of the proposals being pushed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.  On several occasions, Duterte said that the two measures will help deter crime, especially as they claim that crime syndicates have become creative with their schemes.

READ: Duterte stand on lowering age of criminal liability ‘remains unchanged’

Dela Rosa is the first Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief appointed by the President.  Prior to his stint as Davao City Police, he also worked for the PNP’s Intelligence Group and the Reactionary Standby Support Force.

Under his term as PNP chief, the police along with other agencies implemented Oplan Tokhang or the war against illegal drugs, which has garnered mixed reactions from critics and allies. /je

READ: Duterte calls for death penalty: ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’