Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. (Joseph Vidal / Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he would have his head chopped off if allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte was involved in the drug war were proven true.
The lawmaker made the outlandish dare on Thursday following retired police officer and confirmed former Davao Death Squad hitman Arturo Lascañas’ claim that the Vice President was among those who orchestrated the previous administration’s brutal war on drugs.
Apart from the Vice President, Lascañas earlier linked Vice Mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and Senator Bong Go, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s special assistant during his term, to the drug war.
“Isa lang masasabi ko diyan — ‘yung sinasabi niya ngayon na bago na naman niyang version na dinadawit niya si Inday Sara [Duterte] sa sinasabi niyang tokhang, magpapaputol ako leeg,” dela Rosa told reporters in an ambush interview.
(There’s only one thing I will say: His new version of allegations where he includes Sara Duterte in the alleged tokhang, I will voluntarily behead myself.)
“Papaputol ako ng leeg kaagad kung ma-prove niya ‘yan na si Sara nasa likuran niyan,” he emphasized.
(I will have my head chopped off if they can prove that Sara Duterte is behind that.)
In the same interview, dela Rosa said he was convinced that someone is commanding Lascañas, adding that he knows who this person is.
“In due time, we will know. I will not disclose it now,” he said.
When asked if this information was based on an intelligence report, he said he just knows it in his gut.
“Alam niyo ako. ‘Pag sinabi kong hindi ko alam, prangka ako sa inyo magsabi na hindi ko alam. Kapag sinabi kong alam ko, I am honest enough to tell you na alam ko,” he stressed.
(You know me. When I tell you that I don’t know, I am frank enough to tell you that I don’t know. If I tell you that I know, I am honest enough to tell you that I know.)
READ: Explosive testimony