Ronald dela Rosa

Ronald Marapon dela Rosa was born on January 21, 1962, at Barangay Bato, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, to Teodoro Diamaton dela Rosa Sr. and Anesia Cruspero Marapon. He was young when he worked as a fish market porter and bus conductor. Dela Rosa went to Mindanao State University (MSU) to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration. In 1982, he left MSU to join the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and graduated in 1986 as part of PMA Sinagtala class. He then earned a Master of Public Administration degree in 1998 and a Ph.D. in development administration in 2006 from the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City. Dela Rosa completed a Scout Ranger Orientation Course, Police Intelligence Officer Advance Course, Police Officers' Comptrollership Course, and the Police Safety Officer Course. He also attended training courses of the FBI Academy and U.S. Army Ranger School in the United States, and Air Marshal Instructors Course by the Australian Federal Police. Dela Rosa was nicknamed "Bato" during his first assignment in Davao, when his upperclassmen likened his body to a rock. ==Police career==

Early career (1986–2012) Dela Rosa joined the police force in 1986 as a Lieutenant of the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary in Davao City. In 2012, he led the crackdown on the carnapping syndicate allegedly masterminded by Ryan "Baktin" Yu. In July 2013, he headed the successful rescue of the kidnapped Filipino-Chinese businesswoman Sally Chua. He also directed the implementation of Oplan Tokhang (Cebuano portmanteau for tuktok, "knock", and hangyo, "persuade"), a campaign against illegal drugs where the police literally knock on the doors of suspected drug users and distributors and persuade them to cease their illegal activities; and Oplan Pakgang, (Cebuano portmanteau for “Pitulon ang Kabatan-onan sa Gang”, “Disciplining Youths in Gangs”) where the police, through a series of lectures and discussions, discouraged Davao City's youth from joining criminal gangs and other illegal activities. Camp Crame (2013–2016) (center) awards to PNP Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa (right) the Major Award for Law Enforcement during the 18th anniversary celebration of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption. After serving as Davao City Police Chief, Dela Rosa was assigned to the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame where he worked for the PNP Intelligence Group from October 2013 to December 2014. In 2015, he became a member of the PNP Board of Inquiry which investigated the Mamasapano clash that claimed the lives of 44 Special Action Force commandos, 17 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members and five civilians while the cops were on a mission to arrest international terrorist Zulkifli Abdhir, alias Marwan. Dela Rosa also served as the executive officer of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development (HRDD). However, his commanding officer at that time, PNP deputy chief for operations Deputy Director-General Danilo Constantino, denied that Dela Rosa's Facebook posts were the main reasons why he was relieved of his duty. According to Constantino, Dela Rosa was relieved from the RSSF so that he could focus on his responsibilities as executive officer of the HRDD. Nonetheless, Constantino stated that the PNP Internal Affairs Service will investigate Dela Rosa's Facebook posts for possible administrative liabilities as the officers of the Philippine National Police are required to be neutral and apolitical during the elections. Promotion as head police chief and BuCor director (2016–2018) Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa in the Malacañan Palace, August 2016 uniform in June 2017 Dela Rosa was handpicked by then presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte as the new PNP Chief on May 19, 2016. On July 1, 2016, he was officially sworn in as the 21st chief of the Philippine National Police while being promoted to director-general, the highest-ranked PNP officer. Dela Rosa was set to retire on January 21, 2018, due to the mandatory retirement at age 56, but his term was extended for 3 months until April 21, 2018. During his stint as PNP chief, Dela Rosa made headlines regularly as he led the controversial drug war and Oplan Tokhang operations throughout the country. On August 25, 2016, the newly appointed Chief of the National Police stated “You know who these drug lords are. Do you want to kill them? Kill them. It's okay because you're the victim here.” “If you want, you know who these drug lords are. Go to their houses. Pour gasoline in their houses, set it on fire. Show them you're angry". Several groups including human rights groups and religious leaders strongly objected Dela Rosa and President Duterte's initiatives. The controversy has been widely condemned for the number of deaths resulting from police operations and allegations of systematic extrajudicial executions including planting fabricated evidence to make it appear a suspected drug personality has possession of drugs and resisting arrest from authorities. Reports of drug-related killings reached the United Nations Human Rights Council as the death toll reached 12,000 according to news organizations and human rights groups. In 2019, during his campaign, Dela Rosa took pride in the drug war as it supposedly lessened the crime rate and resulted in millions of drug personalities surrendering to the authorities. In May 2018, Dela Rosa was appointed as director general of the Bureau of Corrections. He held the post from April 30, 2018, until October 12, 2018. Dela Rosa is among the "Davao Boys", a small circle of Duterte's closest and trusted associates, which included police officers who were previously posted to Davao and later tasked implemented the drug war nationwide. Key positions • Provincial Director, Compostela Valley Police Provincial Office • Provincial Director, Davao Del Sur Police Provincial Office • Chief, Police Regional Office 11 Regional Logistics and Research Development Division • Chief, Police Regional Office 11 Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division • City Director, Davao City Police Office • Deputy Director for Operations, PNP Intelligence Group • Deputy Director for Administration, PNP Intelligence Group • Executive officer, PNP Directorate for Human Resource Doctrine and Development • Chief, PNP • Director general, BUCOR ==Political career==

Senator (2019–present) Committee Chairmanships • Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs • Committee on National Defense and Security; Peace, Reconciliation and Unification • Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation 18th Congress Dela Rosa placed a bid for a Senate seat and won placing fifth overall, garnering 19 million votes in the 2019 Philippine Senate election. Dela Rosa took office on June 30, 2019. Dela Rosa Chaired the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs. In August 2019, Dela Rosa caused controversy when he said in an interview that convicted rapist-murderer and former Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez "deserves a second chance"; Dela Rosa said that "if it is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole that he deserves that commutation, then why not? He deserves a second chance in life." Dela Rosa was highlighted in the news when he got angry at a student leader who raised the issue of what Dela Rosa said regarding Sanchez' possible release while at a Senate hearing on bringing back the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) for senior high school students; Dela Rosa said that the student's criticism was "irrelevant to the topic that was being discussed" during the session. Despite some issues that were raised against him, Dela Rosa filed bills including bringing back capital punishment to the country—specifically for drug traffickers—which was not passed. Among the initial bills he prioritized were an act regulating the use of government ambulances, the Department of Overseas Filipino Act, police scholarships for qualifying students in all barangays, establishing crisis centers for street children in every region in the Philippines, the creation of barangay community peace and order councils, and job training for older workers. In June 2021, Dela Rosa sponsored the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Bill in the plenary for the Senate to be ratified. The amendment, which Dela Rosa inserted without authorization, would allow BFP personnel to carry short firearms during fire emergencies and disasters, provided that training will be undertaken with the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police. Dela Rosa said only 2,282 out the total 30,290 BFP personnel would be allowed to carry short firearms to protect their colleagues. He explained in Filipino, "...the usual complaint of our firefighters, that during fire incidents, there are people who try to take away their water hoses. Sometimes, there are firefighters who get stabbed because there are people who want their houses to be saved from the fire first." Some senators declined to ratify the reform but were outvoted; President Rodrigo Duterte signed the bill into law in September 2021. Dela Rosa voted in favor of a law signed in September 2021 by President Duterte that imposed additional taxes on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). 2022 presidential campaign On October 8, 2021, the PDP–Laban faction supported by President Duterte announced dela Rosa as their candidate for president of the Philippines in the 2022 election, the same day dela Rosa filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections. However, on November 13, 2021, the same day that Sara Duterte filed her candidacy as the running mate of Bongbong Marcos, dela Rosa withdrew his candidacy as per party's decision. 19th Congress (right) during a public hearing on September 6, 2024, looking into alleged abuses committed by the Philippine National Police in its operation against Quiboloy. By 2022, dela Rosa's entire senate staff is composed of members of his family. His daughter Marianne Kristel "Macky" dela Rosa-Estoesta is his chief of staff, his niece Joanna Cedie dela Rosa is his media relations officer, and Jessica May "Mingkay" dela Rosa is his appointments secretary. Upon the opening of the 19th Congress in July 2022, Dela Rosa filed his priority bills, which included the institutionalization of the government's anti-communist insurgency task force; the reimposition of the death penalty for convicted large-scale drug traffickers; and the amendment of the Party-list System Act to disallow party-lists linked with terrorist organizations from joining Congress. In an effort to decongest prisons, Dela Rosa filed a bill decriminalizing illegal drug use—excluding illegal drug pushing, manufacturing, and trafficking—and automatically sending drug users to rehabilitation centers. He was discouraged by strong opposition from law enforcement agencies over his proposal. In September 2023, Dela Rosa along with Senator Risa Hontiveros led a senate probe against the Socorro Bayanihan Services for allegations of being a cult and abuse. After illegal activities of POGOs were exposed in 2022, Dela Rosa suggested a ban may be a possible solution; a year later, he recommended the creation of a dedicated zone for POGOs, where the gambling corporations are restricted to operate. In 2024, a House quadruple committee investigation into the possible links of POGOs to the illegal drug trade and other crimes prompted Dela Rosa to remark that questioning the illegal activities of POGOS was "unnecessary"; Dela Rosa alleged that the House was plotting to implicate him and President Duterte in the extrajudicial killings that occurred during the war on drugs. During the House hearings, Kerwin Espinosa testified that dela Rosa coerced him to link Senator Leila de Lima to the drug trade. In regards to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation in the Philippines, Dela Rosa has maintained that since the Philippines withdrew from the in 2019, the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over allegations related to the drug war killings during Duterte's presidency. This was contrary to fact checks by media outlets stating that the ICC has jurisdiction over crimes committed during the Philippines' membership. In January 2023, Dela Rosa said he is ready for a probe by the ICC and would cooperate if the Marcos administration decides so but was confident the government will not. By 2024, Dela Rosa has been repeatedly skeptical on President Marcos' pronouncements that the country will not cooperate with the ICC. 2025 senatorial campaign On October 3, 2024, Dela Rosa filed his candidacy for the 2025 Philippine Senate elections under the Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP). Following the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2025, he stated that he is willing to join Duterte in The Hague if all legal remedies are exhausted. However, dela Rosa went to an undisclosed location within the Philippines. He was considered to be hiding from the authorities. He was re-elected as senator in May 2025, placing 3rd in the official results, with 20,773,946 of votes. Impeachment of Sara Duterte Dela Rosa has supported Vice President Sara Duterte in regards to the impeachment proceedings against her. In May 2025, Dela Rosa projected that there are enough senators in the upcoming 20th Congress to acquit Duterte. He filed a motion to have the proceedings dismissed before the Senators took oath as judges in an impeachment trial court on June 10, 2025. The impeachment complaint was remanded back to the House of Representatives instead after Alan Peter Cayetano amended the motion. This move was tagged as a victory by Dela Rosa and is "effectively a dismissal". On June 14, Dela Rosa posted a deepfake AI-generated video showing two students testifying that the impeachment process was selective and politically motivated. When informed it was an AI video, Dela Rosa maintained that the video creator had a point. Alleged ICC warrant and disappearance After interior secretary Jonvic Remulla claimed that he has received an "unofficial" warrant of arrest for Ronald dela Rosa from the International Criminal Court, Dela Rosa was noted to be absent from the Senate since November 10, 2025 and has not reported for duty since then. On February 13, 2026, the ICC included dela Rosa among eight indirect co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity case against president Duterte during the Philippine drug war. ==Personal life==

shopping) Dela Rosa has been married to Nancy Johnson Comandante since 1989, and they have three children together. During his wedding, then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte stood as one of the principal sponsors. He has described Duterte as "the greatest influence" in his career. On June 19, 2017, Dela Rosa was the guest of honor and speaker at the celebration of José Rizal's 156th birth anniversary. He claimed that he was related to the national hero through a common ancestor named Ines dela Rosa. Dela Rosa is a Catholic. In a June 2016 radio interview on DZMM, Dela Rosa mentioned that he frequently goes to confession to seek forgiveness after he has killed criminals, declaring that he is a "no cold-blooded killer". Since he became the PNP chief, he has appeared or guested in several TV shows, most notably in the Trabahula segment of ABS-CBN's noontime variety show, ''It's Showtime'', and GMA's Sunday variety show, Sunday PinaSaya, where he met Rodney "Dugong" Juterte, a comedic impersonator of President Rodrigo Duterte portrayed by comedian Jose Manalo. Dela Rosa is a longtime fan of the PBA team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. ==In popular culture==

Ronald dela Rosa was portrayed by Robin Padilla in Adolfo Alix Jr.'s 2019 biographical action film Bato: The General Ronald dela Rosa Story. Padilla would later become a senator alongside dela Rosa in 2022. In the 2022 historical action film Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told, Dela Rosa was portrayed by Doc Che Lejano. == Electoral history ==