Ex-PNP chief to boost Senate bid with anti-drugs stance

DAVAO CITY -- Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa vowed to campaign harder despite the latest Pulse Asia survey that placed him among the Top 12 candidates.

“Magsusumikap pa ako dahil maraming hindi pa nakakaalam na ako ay tumakbo bilang senator. Ang akala ng iba ako ay tumakbo bilang gobernador (I will have to work harder because many people still do not know that I am running for senator. People think that I am running for governor),” he said in an interview with reporters here Friday, referring to earlier talks that he was gunning for the Davao del Sur gubernatorial seat.

Dela Rosa is also pushing for the return of the death penalty, especially for drug traffickers, saying this would prevent the country from turning into a narco-state.

He pointed out that in the past three weeks, the Bureau of Customs in Clark managed to seize a total of PHP160.5 million worth of shabu, ecstasy and kush - a strain of cannabis, concealed in food items and a luggage at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

The packages were reportedly from Las Vegas in the United States.

Dela Rosa said this indicates that drug traffickers "are now importing shabu because they have lost their shabu laboratories here."

“This is the time to defeat illegal drugs. Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? Ang droga noon mabibili kahit saan (If not today, when? In the past, illegal drugs can be bought anywhere). If there is zero demand, there is no supply of drugs. (The) proliferation of illegal drugs must be stopped,” he said. (PNA)