THE BALL IS IN PAGCOR’S HANDS: Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, presides over on March 4, 2022, the continuation of a public inquiry into the rising number of missing persons allegedly involved in “sabong” (cockfighting) and “e-sabong” and other related incidents. Senate PRIB file photo / Voltaire F. Domingo
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa apologized on Tuesday as he might have misinterpreted President Rodrigo Duterte’s stand on e-sabong suspension.
“Let’s give him (Duterte) the benefit of the doubt. Ako rin bigyan rin nyo ako ng benefit of the doubt baka na misinterpret ko yung pagkasabi ni Pangulong Duterte na: Sige, sige, sige,” Dela Rosa said over ABS-CBN’s Headstart.
(Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. Please also afford me the benefit of the doubt because I might have misinterpreted President Duterte when he said: Alright, alright, alright)
“So pagbigyan natin sya kung ano talaga ang officially ang stand nya to this issue. I may be wrong in my interpretation…” he added.
According to the senator, his reading of the President’s remark on the issue was “pure speculation” and not Duterte’s official statement.
“Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt,” Dela Rosa stressed. “Ako rin please afford me the benefit of the doubt baka somehow nagkamali ako and I’m sorry, I’m sorry nagkamali ako sa aking interpretation sa kanyang actions, kanyang verbal and non-verbal actions…”
(Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. Please also afford me the benefit of the doubt because maybe somehow I was wrong and I’m sorry, I’m sorry I was wrong with my interpretations of his actions, of his verbal and non-verbal actions.)
He nevertheless assured that he would not change his stand against e-sabong or online cockfighting.
Dela Rosa, who previously headed the national police force, said he still considers himself a law enforcer, and not a traditional politician or trapo.
“Basically my person is not a politician. I’m not a politician, I’m a law enforcer. Hanggang ngayon, yan pa rin ang utak ko sa law enforcement. Hindi pa ako gaanong politician na trapo, na pabago-bago ang stand para lang to gain the admiration of the voters,” the senator added.
(Basically my person[ality] is not a politician. I’m not a politician, I’m a law enforcer. Until now, that’s my mindset in law enforcement. I’m not yet a trapo who changes stand just to gain the admiration of voters.)
Dela Rosa is leading the probe on missing cockfighting enthusiasts being the chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.
During last week’s hearing, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairperson Andrea Domingo told the committee that Duterte denied agreeing to suspend the operations of e-sabong.
This was contrary to Dela Rosa’s earlier claim that the President gave his nod to the suspension as proposed by the Senate through a resolution signed by 23 of 24 senators.