Bato dela Rosa files COC for 2019 Senate bid

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Friday filed his certificate of candidacy for his senatorial run in the 2019 elections on Friday.

"I am serious in running for the Senate," said Dela Rosa, who headed the Philippine National Police (PNP) before his appointment to BuCor.

If ever he wins, Dela Rosa said he will immediately push for the restoration of death penalty on drug-related cases and heinous crimes.

"Pagdating sa Senate, restoration of death penalty agad," he said.

"Sa experience ko, mga Taiwanese, Chinese, Singaporean, they tell me they engage in drug trafficking here because there is demand and our law is very lax."

Dela Rosa said his campaign slogan will be "Itaga mo sa bato,” added.

Based on the Social Weather Stations survey released Wednesday, 59 percent of Filipinos are in favor of restoring the death penalty for those convicted of heinous crimes, while a greater 68 percent believe courts could hand out wrongful sentences.

The same poll, however, showed that only 35 percent of the respondents are aware of the fact that the death penalty in the past did not deter crime incidents since 75 percent or 651 of the 907 death penalty cases from 1993 to 2004 did not proceed after an automatic review by the Supreme Court — meaning three in four convicts were wrongfully sentenced to die by the lower courts.

On the other hand, 64 percent were not aware of such data.

The death penalty was abolished in 2006.

Asked how would the implementation of the death penalty be effective this time, Dela Rosa tossed the responsibility to the members of the media.

"Diyan papasok ang media. Tulungan niyo kami magbantay, sa piskal, sa judge, para hindi magkaroon ng miscarriage of justice," he said.

Dela Rosa also said being a former policeman is not an impediment in being a good legislator.

"Hindi natin dapat i-profile kung sino dapat ang maging senador. Kung magkataon na magaling at mahal na mahal tayo ng mga tao, eh kahit 12 pulls pa ang ilagay mo sa Senado. This is democracy.

Dela Rosa earlier said that he cannot answer on what steps the government should take in addressing the rising prices of goods as a result of the nine-year high inflation rate because he is not an economist. —KBK, GMA News