Duterte assures cops: ‘You’re safe in the Senate’ with Go, Bato

MANILA, Philippines — With Senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa sitting in the upper chamber, policemen should not fear about getting grilled or humiliated during Senate investigations, President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday.

“P*** baka kayo ang tawagin (sa Senado). But with Bato and Bong, komportable ako. Hindi kayo ma-ano. You’re safe in the Senate,” Duterte said in his speech during the oath-taking of newly-promoted star rank police officers.

Go was a long-time aide of Duterte while Dela Rosa was a former Philippine National Police chief appointed by Duterte.

The President also asked police officers to immediately leave when they were shamed during Senate investigations.

“Do not accept that statement. Tumindig ka at sabihin mo, ‘Sir, I came here to honor your summons, your invitation to be here. I am here to testify to the truth. And you can send me to hell if I lie but do not, do not rob me of my dignity’,” Duterte said.

And if the Senate decided to cite them in contempt, Duterte said policemen should just call him and he will pick them up from the Senate building.

“Kung iparesto kayo ng Sergeant-at-Arms nila…sabihin mo ‘kapag hinold ako tatawagan ko si Mayor’. At sasabihin ko naman sa kanila ‘pupunta ako diyan’,” he said.

Duterte then told lawmakers not to presume that officials they were inviting for legislative investigations are engaged in fraudulent activities.

“Walang bastusan. We are all workers of the government. Do not presume na ‘yung taong kaharap mo kagay mong magnanakaw at sisigaw-sigawan mo riyan. Kung ako ganunin… puputa-putahin ko sila,” he said.

Duterte has been criticizing Senate probes for supposedly humiliating government officials they were inviting.

In the same speech, the President also assured retiring police officers a job for as long as he is in power.

“For all na maabutan ng retirement ‘pag andito pa ako, you are assured of a job. Ang problema ‘pag wala na ako,” he said. /kga