Lacson: ‘Bato’ to get my vote after all

Former police chief and now senatorial candidate Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (left) stands beside President Rodrigo Roa Duterte before the start of the premiere of the action film “Bato The Movie: The General Ronald Dela Rosa Story” at Cinema 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on January 29, 2019. ACE MORANDANTE/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday removed former police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from the list of 10 senatorial candidates who would not get his vote in the May election.

Lacson confirmed that Dela Rosa was the Candidate No. 8 he was referring to in a series of Twitter posts about candidates who would not get his vote. He gave clues and descriptions but did not identify them.

In a Twitter post last March 8, the senator described Candidate 8 as someone who “thinks that the Philippine Senate is in Entertainment City.”

“Somebody please tell him it’s a little farther. Unless he stops entertaining, he might just end up being a stand up comedian after election.”

But in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel, Lacson admitted that the candidate he was referring to was Dela Rosa.

“I’ll be honest. It was Bato,” he said, “Kaya ko kasi underclass ko.”

Like Dela Rosa, Lacson also headed the Philippine National Police. He served during the time of then President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.

The senator, however, had a change of heart, saying Dela Rosa would now get his vote.

He said this when asked in a text message to confirm his statement in the television interview if he was indeed referring to Dela Rosa.

“Yes, until he recovered in the latest CNN senatorial forum when he gamely and single-handedly took on the 6 Otso Diretso candidates. He will get my vote after all,” Lacson said.

Lacson earlier named 10 other senatorial candidates who would get his vote come Election Day.

The 10 are reelectionist Senators Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Koko Pimentel, Grace Poe, and Cynthia Villar, former Senators Mar Roxas, and Serge Osmeña and Dr. Willie Ong. /cbb

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