MANILA (UPDATE) - Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Wednesday took oath as the newest member of President Rodrigo Duterte's political party as he confirmed his plan to run for senator next year.

Dela Rosa, who had led Duterte's war on drugs as police chief, was included in the list of possible senatorial candidates of PDP-Laban, which was submitted for the President's consideration earlier this month.

Faeldon, Salvador and Dela Rosa take their oaths as members of PDP-Laban before PDP-Laban President Sen. Koko Pimentel. | via @mikenavallo pic.twitter.com/u59PIE9qNl — ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) September 12, 2018

The 56-year-old Dela Rosa was sworn in as a PDP-Laban member by party president Senator Koko Pimentel.

The former police chief took his oath alongside Office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Operations Nicanor Faeldon and actor Philip Salvador.

Dela Rosa was also included in the possible senatorial slate of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the regional party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President's daughter.

In the event that he is elected to the Senate, Dela Rosa said he would push for the reinstatement of death penalty for drug-related offenses.

A recent opinion poll showed Dela Rosa was among frontrunners for the 2019 senatorial elections.

Dela Rosa retired from the Philippine National Police in April after nearly 2 years at the forefront of the government's war on drugs.

-with a report from Robert Mano, ABS-CBN News

