MANILA, Philippines— It has been six months since Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa confirmed the United States government had canceled his visa.
Until now, Dela Rosa said he had not applied yet for the renewal of his visa, saying he would just wait for the US to either reinstate or renew it.
“Maghintay na lang ako ng move ng US government kasi sila naman ang nag cancel so sila rin ang mag-reinstate or mag-renew,” the senator said n a text message on Wednesday.
Asked if he could have his visa back without applying for it again, the senator suggested raising the question before the US embassy.
It was last January when Dela Rosa confirmed that his visa, which was set to expire in 2022, had been canceled by the US.
At that time, the senator said the US government gave no reasons why his visa had been canceled though he surmised it had something to do with his role in the government’s brutal war on illegal drugs.
As a former head of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa led the bloody war on drugs that reportedly resulted in the deaths of thousands of drug suspects.
So when the Philippines moved last February to terminate the VFA with the US, many were quick to say it was because of the cancellation of the visa of the senator, who happens to be a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte.
But on Tuesday, the Philippines suspended for at least six months its abrogation of the VFA with the US.
Dela Rosa was among the senators who welcomed the government’s latest move.
“Foreign policies can be flexible at times depending on the realities obtained in the bilateral, regional, or global arena of foreign relations,” he said.
“I welcome that decision of the President,” the senator further said.