Dela Rosa wants to revive the death penalty bill for drug cases if reelected

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa presides over the Finance Subcommittee C hearing on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 on the proposed budgets of the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies, including the appropriation for the Revised AFP Modernization Program. (Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Should he get reelected as a senator, former top cop turned Sen. Bato dela Rosa will refile his bill seeking to impose the death penalty for high-level drug traffickers.

In a statement on Tuesday, dela Rosa made clear that he does not intend to impose capital punishment on small-time drug pushers on the streets.

“Kung sakaling papalarin, ipa-file ko pa rin ulit kagaya itong walang kamatayang death penalty for high-level drug traffickers,” he said.

(If I get fortunate enough, I will refile my never-dying death penalty bill against high-level drug traffickers.)

“Hindi makalusot-lusot dahil nga medyo kontrobersyal. But still, I truly believe, I’m really convinced na kung ito ay makapasa ay ito ang magiging solusyon sa mga problema na kinakaharap ng ating bansa ngayon,” he added.

(It does not get passed because it is a bit controversial. But still, I truly believe, I’m really convinced that if it gets approved, it will be a solution to these problems that our country is facing right now.)

According to dela Rosa, an easy-going approach will never be enough to eradicate the country’s drug menace.

“Kailangan talaga, kamay na bakal ang gamit mo dito. Hindi puwedeng hindi mo gamitan ng kamay na bakal. Otherwise, tatawanan ka lang nitong mga sindikato na ito. Kailangan seryosohin natin ito,” the senator emphasized.

(We need an iron hand. If we won’t use an iron fist, syndicates will only laugh at us. We need to take it seriously.)

Since he was elected as senator in 2019, dela Rosa has been pushing for the imposition of the death penalty for persons who import and manufacture dangerous drugs and other illegal substances in the Philippines.

Being former President Rodrigo Duterte’s former top cop, dela Rosa was also the chief implementer of the former president’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa’s role landed him on the roster of Duterte administration officials who were accused of crimes against humanity by drug war victims-families before the International Criminal Court.