‘Bato’ laments: ‘Di na kami majority, talo kami palagi’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday lamented the changing tides at the Senate, with the majority bloc, where he belongs, always losing to the minority coalition during voting in some issues being tackled in the upper chamber.
Speaking to reporters, Dela Rosa took a jab at Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who earlier expressed regrets because the Senate failed to summon a unanimous vote in asking the Supreme Court to define the Senate’s “constitutional boundaries” in light of President Rodrigo Duterte’s unilateral decision to abrogate the visiting forces agreement with the United States.
“Talo nga kami palagi, nakailang issues na yan na kami ang minority. So wala, hindi kami majority,” he said.
Dela Rosa, an ally of the President, said earlier that Drilon should be thankful that Senate Resolution No. 337, he co-sponsored “got the majority vote.”
Drilon had claimed the Senate “could not even get a unanimous vote… even on just a simple resolution” in seeking the SC’s clarification on the body’s role on treaty abrogation.
“Nagpalabas ng sama ng loob si Senator Drilon ‘di ba? E sumagot na rin ako na dapat nga magpasalamat ka dahil kayo nasa minority kayo, you got majority votes, kami na nasa majority we got the minority votes,” Dela Rosa said.
“Dapat magpasalamat siya, hindi siya magsama ng loob. Dahil kahit na first-year senator kami, it doesn’t mean naman na por que kulang kami sa experience, pwede na niyo kaming diktahan kung ano yung mangyari dito sa Senado. Meron pa rin kaming sariling pagiisip,” he added.
In voting for the Senate resolution, Dela Rosa and six others abstained from voting on the resolution while 12 senators voted in favor.
Asked whether he wanted senators in the majority bloc to vote against the resolution, the neophyte senator said: “Wishful thinking lang.”
“I expect kung talagang… you go with us, but sinabi nga may kanya-kanya tayong pagiisip pero kung dun tayo sa political side of it, majority against minority, so majority palagi dapat mananalo. We were not able to get the majority votes. So meaning kami na ang minority ngayon dito sa Senado, di na kami ang majority,” he lamented.
‘They cannot dictate me’
After Dela Rosa’s manifestation on Monday, his more seasoned colleagues said that being a senator means protecting the institution and the Republic.
“I’m learning from them. But while learning, they cannot dictate me. While learning, they cannot dictate me… I have to stand my ground,” he said.
