Bato, Bong Go formalize reelection bids; Philip Salvador files COC for senator, too

Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, together with actor Philip Salvador, on Thursday filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COC) for senator for the 2025 midterm elections.

Dela Rosa and Go, both reelectionists, were first elected to the Senate in 2019. The two, as well as Salvador, will run under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, said if he wins once more, he will continue his advocacy on public order and national defense and security.  

“For national security and defense, we will situate that our national defense posture should be credible enough against foreign invaders,” Dela Rosa said.

Go, for his part, said if he wins a second term in the Senate, he will continue to work on measures on health, food and security, among others.  

“Isa sa aking adbokasiya ay ang health. Nabigla tayo nung pandemya kaya hindi po ako nagkakamali na we should invest sa ating healthcare system,” Go said. 

(One of my advocacy is health. We were caught off guard during the pandemic so I was right that we should invest more in the healthcare system.)

Salvador, meanwhile, said he would work on measures for peace and order.

“Ang aking plataporma, nakatuon sa kapayapaan or peace and order. Palalakasin ko ang ating ahensya ng pagpapatupad ng batas upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng publiko tulad pagadadagdasg ng budget paras sa modernisasyon ating kapulisan and kasundaluhan,” Salvador said.

(My platform is focused on peace and order. I will strengthen our agency in enforcing laws that will ensure public safety like an additional budget for the modernization of the police and military.)

Despite being in favor of the Duterte administration's war on drugs, Salvador said drug addicts should also be given the chance to undergo rehabilitation.

Go, Dela Rosa and Salvador are staunch allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who chairs PDP-Laban. 

After Go, Dela Rosa and Salvador, two individuals — Elpidio Rosales Jr and Robert Caballero Agad — also filed their COCs for senator.

Agad, a licensed therapist, said if he wins, he will promote the increase in overseas Filipino workers’ salaries, especially in Middle East countries. He said he would also work on giving benefits to senior citizens and students.

Rosales, meanwhile, did not grant reporters an interview. —KBK, GMA Integrated News