FILE PHOTO: Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.(Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants additional powers for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify party-list groups that directly or indirectly support terrorists.
“Isa lang naman ‘yung aking gustong ipasok diyan kung magkakaroon ng Charter change. ‘Yung party-list system dapat baguhin ‘yan,” he said on ANC’s Headstart on Monday.
(There is only one thing I want to include if there will be a charter change, the party-list system.)
“This is not about the Constitution, this is about the party-list system. Bibigyan lang natin ng (We will give) additional powers ‘yung (to) Comelec to disqualify party-lists that are identified to be supporting directly or indirectly the terrorist groups,” he also said when asked what his desired changes in the 1987 Constitution would be.
READ: Anti-Terrorism Council’s first move: Make a list
According to dela Rosa, groups supporting terrorists join the government to destroy it from within.
He, however, stressed that left-leaning groups should be allowed to run in the party-list polls as long as they are not backing terrorist organizations.
“If they are left-leaning at wala silang ginagawang suporta doon sa terrorist organization, then pabayaan natin sila. They can exist and co-exist with everyone in this government,” the senator noted.
(If they are left-leaning and they are not showing support to a terrorist organization, let them.)
As the 19th Congress opened, dela Rosa filed a bill seeking to institutionalize the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict to combat decades-long insurgency in the country.
He expressed confidence that his colleagues in the Senate will support his measure.
“Yes, I am very optimistic dahil ang layunin naman nito ay (because its objective is) lasting peace as I have said,” Dela Rosa shared.
READ: Palace: SC latest ruling on Anti-Terror Act ‘a triumph for peace-loving, law-abiding Filipinos’