DIGOS CITY — Senatorial candidate Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa told the Otso Deretso senatorial bets he had no more time for debate in reply to the opposition group’s dare.

Bato, who was here for the kick-off ceremony of the fire prevention month, said he could no longer answer Otso Deretso because they were already running out of time for the campaign period.

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“Tapos na kaming nag-debate sa mga television, so para ano pa? Gusto lang nila mahibaw-an among mga plano (We’ve done the debate on television, so, what would that be for? They only want to know what our plans are),” said Dela Rosa, who appeared here for the first time since he declared his candidacy.

“If the opposition really wanted a debate, then they could have it after the elections,” said the former Philippine National Police Director from Davao City, widely criticized for his Tokhang, a Visayan term for “knock and plea,” when police personnel would knock at the doors of suspected drug pushers and users and ask them to change their ways.

When asked if the war on drugs had affected his candidacy, Bato, who earned his nickname (stone) from a place where he came from in Santa Cruz town, said, “Yes, but in a positive way.” Inquirer Mindanao/lzb

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