Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa | File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines— Sen. Ronald dela Rosa is standing firm against participating in a House of Representatives investigation into various issues, including alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the past administration.
“I decline their invitation on the grounds that I don’t want to become the precedent in breaking the inter-parliamentary courtesy tradition of both houses of Congress,” Dela Rosa said in a statement to reporters on Thursday.
As then chief of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa spearheaded then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war, during which reportedly thousands of drug suspects were killed.
Duterte was also invited to the hearing by the quad-committee composed of the dangerous drugs, public order and safety, public accounts, and human rights panels.
READ: Duterte, dela Rosa invited to House hearings on Pogos, drug trade links
Aside from the alleged EJKs, the quad-committee will also look into crimes linked to the illegal drug trade and Philippine offshore gaming operators.
Duterte and Dela Rosa were also a no-show when the House human rights panel invited them to its investigation into the EJK allegations.
At that time, Dela Rosa said he was advised by Senate President Chiz Escudero against attending the House proceeding.
READ: Dela Rosa says he is skipping House probe into drug war
“I sought the advice of the Senate President on what to do. I don’t have any problems, I can face them anytime. But still, I have to follow the guidance of the Senate President, being a member of the institution, the Senate of the Philippines. I need to follow his guidance,” he said then in a radio interview.
“His answer was, ‘No, you don’t have to attend’ because there are discussions in the Senate that every time a senator’s name pops up in their hearing, we will break up the so-called inter-parliamentary courtesy. What can senators do? There are only twenty-four of us, if we just attend their hearing, we can’t do anything in our legislative function,” Dela added, quoting Escudero.