MANILA, Philippines — Some senators ribbed Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday over claims that an unnamed member of the Senate was allegedly meddling in the disqualification cases against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
While at the session hall, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III asked Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri what he and Dela Rosa were talking about at the back.
“No, because in one interview, a distinguished member of the Commission on Elections mentioned that there was a senator from Davao. I approached the two senators from Davao, which one of them because we have only two senators from Davao…” Zubiri answered, apparently referring to Dela Rosa and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon earlier claimed that a senator was behind the alleged delay in the release of the resolution on the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos.
According to Guanzon, this senator was from Davao and that his wife already knew about his involvement in the Marcos cases.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon chimed in and asked if Dela Rosa was already back in the session hall.
When Sotto answered yes and added that Dela Rosa was even physically present in an earlier hearing of the Commission on Appointments, Drilon then asked again: “So his face was not exactly, you know, parang may nabugbog sya. Totoo ba yun?”
(So his face did not exactly, you know, look like it was beaten up? Is that true?)
“Tinanong ko din yun Mr. President, hindi daw totoong nabugbog siya,” Zubiri said.
(I also asked that; he said it’s not true he was beaten up.)
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At this point, Dela Rosa could be seen smiling while pointing his fingers at his colleagues who were teasing him.
“You know, he should learn from the masters, Senator Bong Revilla and Ralph Recto,” Drilon later said.
“Nadamay pa yung dalawang nananahimik,” Sotto quipped.
(Those two are staying quiet but got dragged in.)