Duterte endorses Dela Rosa, defends pre-campaign move

PORT MORESBY – President Duterte has expressed support for the senatorial bid of former Philippine National Police and Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and was quick to defend the pre-campaign period endorsement. 

Duterte mentioned the name of Dela Rosa when he was talking about the number of drug addicts during his meeting with the Filipino community last Friday here.

“Now tell me, they said three million plus got addicted (with illegal drugs). There was this ruckus, quarrel, argument about the exact number. Bato, who is by the way running for senator, if you remember, he used to be my (police) chief for so long a time,” the President said.

Duterte then described Dela Rosa as a good cop.

“Mahusay talaga ’to. Kailangan ninyo ng mga pulis na matino (He is really competent. You really need good cops),” the Chief Executive said.

Anticipating that he would be criticized for premature campaigning, Duterte said his act was not covered by Philippine laws because it was done in another country.

“Bawal daw sa kampanya. U***, wala man ako sa Pilipinas (They say premature campaigning is prohibited. Fools. I am not in the Philippines),” he said.

“You know criminal laws are jurisdictional. You can only be prosecuted in the country where you committed the crime. Eh, magkampanya ako rito, paki ninyo? (I want to campaign here. Why do you even care?),” he added.

Duterte said he was addressing the handsome and beautiful women here when he endorsed Dela Rosa.

“That’s true. I suspect you just came here to make yourselves beautiful,” the President said in jest.

The campaign period for senatorial aspirants and party-list groups will start on Feb. 12.

Aside from Dela Rosa, the President has also endorsed the candidacy of former presidential political affairs adviser Francis Tolentino, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., former special assistant to the president Christopher Go and folk singer Freddie Aguilar.