In 2019, Bato Dela Rosa and Bong Go soared into the Senate on the coattails of then-President Rodrigo Duterte. His name was their golden ticket, the ultimate political endorsement in a landscape where popularity often outweighs merit. Dela Rosa, the face of the bloody drug war, and Go, Duterte’s loyal Special Assistant, didn’t need storied political lineages or dynastic clout. Their unwavering loyalty to Duterte was enough to guarantee their rise.

But in 2025, the political climate has changed drastically. Duterte is no longer in power, and his once-unassailable image is now riddled with cracks. His drug war, once hailed by supporters as a war on criminality, has been increasingly framed as a war on human rights. Worse, Duterte himself has become embroiled in a public feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose victory in 2022 shifted the political narrative. For Dela Rosa and Go, clinging to the “Duterte card” may no longer be the winning hand it once was—it may, in fact, be their downfall.

The Burden of the Drug War
Recent data from The Nerve highlights how closely Dela Rosa and Go remain tethered to Duterte’s controversial legacy. From October to November 2024, their names surged in social media mentions, but often in connection with the drug war’s brutal aftermath. Stories of extrajudicial killings, death squads, and crimes against humanity dominate these narratives, casting shadows on their re-election campaigns.

For Dela Rosa, the burden is particularly heavy. Once the poster boy of Duterte’s anti-drug crusade, his involvement has placed him under scrutiny by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite receiving communications from the ICC, Dela Rosa openly admits he’s ignoring them, portraying himself as a loyal soldier who refuses to betray his former commander-in-chief.

But loyalty cuts both ways. Duterte himself recently implicated Dela Rosa in death squad activities, making a chilling statement: “Kapag sinabi mong death squad, it’s a very loose term… Kasalanan niya siguro. Ilan ba pinatay mo?” (When you say death squad, it’s a very loose term… It’s probably his fault. How many people have you killed?). Such remarks from the very man who once championed Dela Rosa could have dire consequences for the senator’s credibility and electoral chances.

Bong Go’s Balancing Act
Bong Go’s situation is no less precarious. While he remains a visible figure, thanks to media coverage of his financial assistance programs, he has not escaped controversy. His alleged ties to Pharmally boss Allan Lim, accused of drug-related activities, and his name being linked to drug war killings, have raised serious questions.

Go appears to be walking a tightrope, attempting to recalibrate his public image. But the specter of his association with Duterte looms large, threatening to overshadow his efforts to carve out an identity independent of his former boss.

Falling Numbers and Shifting Sentiment
The numbers tell a story of a changing political tide. Pulse Asia’s latest senatorial pre-election survey shows Go climbing slightly, with voter preference rising to 40.3%. Dela Rosa, on the other hand, is slipping—his ranking dropping from the comfortable middle to a precarious 11th-14th spot.

These figures have yet to account for potential fallout from ongoing Senate and House investigations into Duterte’s drug war. With growing awareness of the human cost of the drug war, voters may no longer be as forgiving or loyal to candidates who embody its legacy.

A Political Reckoning
As the 2025 elections draw near, Dela Rosa and Go face a pivotal choice: double down on their ties to Duterte or attempt to chart new courses. The former strategy may alienate voters tired of the controversies surrounding the drug war. The latter, however, risks alienating the core Duterte loyalists who form their base.
Karma, as the saying goes, has a way of catching up. The same political machinery that elevated Dela Rosa and Go to power may now drag them down. The Duterte card, once the ace of spades, risks becoming a joker in a reshuffled deck.

Birds of the same feather may conspire together, but they must also face the consequences of their shared legacy. For Dela Rosa and Go, the 2025 elections could be a reckoning—not just with voters, but with the weight of the past they’ve chosen to carry.(Tambuli Ng Bayan-Ronnie Estrada)