Senator Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa on Saturday’s Jan. 29 said he is committed to Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte in her vice presidential bid.
‘’I’ll campaign hard for Sara’’ and also the one to be chosen by President Duterte in the presidential race, if does so, dela Rosa said during a DWIZ radio interview.
The former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief appointed by the Duterte administration issued the statement when asked about the ribbing he got during his ‘’small’’ 60th birthday celebration at the Senate building.
During that occasion, dela Rosa wished that his colleagues - presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo M. Lacson and vice presidential aspirant Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III - would win in the 2022 national elections.
‘’It is but fitting for me to wish my friends and colleagues well in a gathering like that, more so when they themselves are honoring me on my birthday. However, rest assured that I will live and die with the Dutertes,’’ he said.
The wish made during dela Rosa’s birthday party attended by few senators at the Senate building raised eyebrows because he was a former presidential bet of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban (Cusi wing). Dela Rosa later withdrew.
Lacson, on the other hand, is the Partido Reporma standard bearer while Sotto is chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). They make up the Lacson/Sotto tandem.
Ribbed about this, dela Rosa said it is to good to wish his colleagues good luck.’’I wish them well.’’
‘’I’m solid na solid behind Sara,’’ he stressed.
He said his fellow candidates (in the national elections) are ‘’all good people who want to help Filipinos.’’
‘’How I wish they all will win’’ but there would only be one winner, he emphasized.
Dela Rosa said he would join Sara in her campaign, adding that he has to do this because she helped him during his political campaigns when he successfully ran for the Senate.
‘’It is about time to help her,’’ he added.
On the President’s statement that he would name the presidential candidate who is ‘’most corrupt,’’ dela Rosa said it is the moral responsibility and proper that he identifies the candidate so that the voters would be guided.
‘’That is his moral obligation to give the right information but it would be the people to make their judgment,'' he added.