Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (File photo from Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — “Anong masama [r]o’on? So what?”
This question was posed by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to downplay reports on Wednesday that International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators have arrived in the Philippines.
In a briefing, reporters asked Pimentel if he had inside information on whether or not the story is true.
The minority leader responded that his information is just based on what former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“Ang knowledge ko dyan, also coming from [former spokesperson] Harry Roque. ‘Yun lang ang nababasa ko lang at napapanood ko,” he told media.
(My knowledge about it also comes from former spokesperson Harry Roque. That’s all that I’ve read and watched.)
“But my point is: Anong masama [r]o’on? So what?” Pimentel wondered.
(But my point is: What’s wrong with that? So what?)
Pimentel said if the investigators are, indeed, in the country, they should coordinate with government and gather data on how many Filipinos died due to extrajudicial killings.
“Dapat kausapin nila ang Commission on Human Rights on human rights complaints,” the senator suggested.
(They should talk with Commission on Human Rights about human rights complaints.)
“Impossible na hindi sila maramdaman if they are doing an honest-to-goodness investigation. Dapat maramdaman sila ng gobyerno,” said Pimentel.
(It is impossible not to feel their presence if they are doing an honest-to-goodness investigation. Government should feel them.)
“Kung walang ganyan, looks like wala pa sila rito,” he noted.
(If there is no such thing, it looks like they are not here yet.)
“Although ako, personally, I find nothing objectionable kung nandito na sila,” he added.
(Although me, personally, I find nothing objectionable if they are here.)