Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is receiving endorsements from colleagues Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito for his re-election bid in the 2025 senatorial elections.

Zubiri praised Dela Rosa as an action-oriented lawmaker, while Ejercito cited their past collaborations to enhance the resources of the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, is running under the PDP-Laban party allied with former president Rodrigo Duterte who is now facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

“Gusto ko pong i-endorso ang Bato ng Senado, none other than my dear friend, my kumpadre. Mabait siya, matulungin at talagang action man (I want to endorse the rock in the Senate, none other than my dear friend and colleague. He is kind, helpful and real action man),” said Zubiri, a former Senate president and fellow Mindanaoan, in a video message.

“He means what he says. No other than my dear friend, Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” Zubiri highlighted.

Meanwhile, on Facebook, Dela Rosa shared a photo of Ejercito raising his hand, gesturing the latter’s full support for his reelection bid.

“An endorsement from the truest of friends and riding buddy. Thank you, Sen. JV Ejercito,” Dela Rosa wrote on Facebook, sharing their photo in a recent gathering. 

Ejercito, in a video endorsement, rallied his own supporters to support Dela Rosa whom he said helped him in legislating laws that sought to strengthen the police force. 

“Mula noong siya po’y Chief PNP pa at ako’y nasa Senado, nagkatulong na po kami para mapaganda ang kagamitan ng atin pong PNP (Since he was Chief PNP and I was in the Senate, we have worked together to improve the equipment of our PNP),” Ejercito said.

With his help, Ejercito said the PNP was able to improve its air air and maritime assets. “Nagkaroon na po ng choppers, ng mga magagandang mga sasakyang pandagat at siyempre iba pang kagamitan (They were able to acquire helicopters, beautiful naval vessels and of course other equipment),” he said.

“Ako’y nakikiusap, isang tunay na tao, matagal ko nang kakilala hindi dahil siya’y ka-motor ko, dahil siya po ay nakatrabaho ko at nakita ko ‘yung kanyang puso at ‘yung kanyang malasakit para gumanda ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino (I am appealing, he is a real person, I have known him for a long time, not because he is my motorcycle buddy, but because I have worked with him and I have seen his heart and his concern for making the lives of every Filipino better,” Ejercito said. 

Dela Rosa, who was the chief implementer of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, had vowed to continue the fight against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption should he be elected to the Senate in the upcoming 2025 national and local elections.