‘Inappropriate’: Dela Rosa says sorry for ‘bwisit’ remark to politicians

Screenshot from Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s interview with Senate reporters. Screengrab / File photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Monday apologized to politicians, whom he called “bwisit,” for calling for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).

Dela Rosa admitted his outburst was wrong and “inappropriate” and he was just swept by his strong emotions.

“Kahapon na-bwisit talaga ako. Nadismaya ako, nafrustrate ako kaya nasabi ko ‘yun, nadala ako sa emosyon. Ganun pa man, magbigay ako ng public apology doon sa aking mga kasamahan na nasabi ko ‘yun kahapon,” he said in an interview over ABS CBN’s TeleRadyo.

“I am really very sorry. Very inappropriate ‘yung nasabi kong bwisit sila. Nasobrahan ‘yung aking emotion, nadala ako, kaya mag-apologize na lang ako sa kanila. Maling mali ‘yung nasabi ko kahapon. Nadala ako sa aking emotion,” he added.

(I am really very sorry. What I said was very inappropriate. I was just overwhelmed by my emotions. So now I am apologizing. What I said was very wrong.)

He clarified that his outburst was for politicians calling for the abolition of the government’s anti-insurgency task force, not to politicians who slashed its budget.

In a radio interview on Sunday, the senator expressed his annoyance to politicians calling to abolish the NTF-Elcac, accusing them of using the issue for their political agenda.

“Sabihin ko sa kanila—ito pangit pakinggan eh—pero bwisit sila,” Dela Rosa said on DZBB when asked about those calling to just abolish the task force instead of cutting its budget.

(I will tell them — this doesn’t sound good — but they are annoying.)

“I-abolish kung kailan naging successful ‘yung ahensya sa paglaban sa terorismo, paglaban sa insurhensya, i-abolish nila? Ano, puro pamumulitika na lang talaga ang iniisip nila, na porke nasa oposisyon sila, gusto nila hindi maging successful itong administrasyong Duterte sa paglaban ng problema ng ating bansa? Ganun na lang talaga ang utak nila? Bwisit,” Dela Rosa further said.

(They want to abolish the agency when it has been successful in fighting terrorism and insurgency? Are they not thinking of anything else but politics, that just because they are in the political opposition, they do not want the Duterte administration to succeed in dealing with the problems of the country? Is their level of thinking just like that? So annoying.)

Dela Rosa was called out by  Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for his remark, telling the newbie senator to “stop the name-calling” and to “stick to the issue.”

EDV