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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bato eyes reelection in 2025 midterm polls despite ICC probe

Bato eyes reelection in 2025 midterm polls despite ICC probe

Published Jul 19, 2023 05:20 am
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he is resolute to seek another six –year Senate term despite the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to pursue its investigation into the drug killings in the Philippines.
Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs. (Senate PRIB Photo)

Dela Rosa said the ICC’s move may even give him an advantage as many Filipinos are also “angered” at the international tribunal’s interference in Philippine affairs. “I am identified with the former president, so yung mga hindi boboto (sa akin), yung talagang mga kalaban ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (so those who will not vote for me are those enemies of former pressident Rodrigo Duterte),” Dela Rosa said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart. “Ang makukuha kong boto yung mga sumusuporta kay Duterte. So the more na lalaki yung suporta natin dahil marami na ring Pilipino ang nagagalit sa pakikialam nila dito sa ating soberenya (So I am bound to get the votes of those who supported Duterte. So the support for me would increase further, because more and more Filipinos are now angry at the ICC for meddling with our sovereignty),” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief said. “Baka positive pa yung magiging impact nito sa aking planong pagtakbo, sa aking reelection bid (So this may even give a positive impact to my plans to run, for my reeleection bid),” the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs reiterated. Asked if he is ready to run for the 2025 midterm elections, Dela Rosa replied: “Yes, I’m ready.” Asked what response he would give to those critics who would hurl the ICC issue against him, Dela Rosa said he is ready to say that the intense anti-illegal drug campaign of the Duterte administration was “for their own good.” “I will tell them: we did the drug war not for our own personal gain. Hindi kami nag launch ng drug war para kami yumaman, para sa aming sariling kapakanan (for us to get rich, or for our own benefit),” he pointed out. “But we launched the drug war for the future of the nation and to protect the Filipino people from the drug menage, lalong -lalo na yung ating kabataan (especially to our youth),” he said. “So I don’t care, whatever happens to me in the future, due to the drug war, no problem with me, as long as I did it for the country. Para sa bayan po yun, di para sa sarili ko (It’s for the nation, it’s not for myself),” he reiterated. “They can judge me however they want. If they want to persecute me then go ahead,” he added. Dela Rosa, the chief implementer of the Duterte government’s “Oplan Tokhang” said that while it is still “too early” to talk about his platforms, it will definitely focus on public order and anti-illegal drug campaign “because those are my only strengths.” “That’s the field I’m exposed to, so I’ll focus on that,” he said.

Related Tags

midterm elections Duterte administration ICC probe Senator Bato dela Rosa
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