Antipolo City Second District Rep. Romeo Acop (left) and Senator Ronald dela Rosa (right) (File photos from HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and SENATE PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa apologized to his “idol” — Antipolo City Second District Rep. Romeo Acop on Monday.
He clarified that the congressman was not among the “unprincipled” and “opportunistic members of the House of Representatives who suddenly changed their stance on the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs.
In a press conference, former top cop dela Rosa said he was surprised that Acop reacted that way.
“I just would like to react in the reaction of Cong. Acop sa naging presscon ko noon sa inyo. Klaruhin ko. ‘Gen. Acop, Sir, hindi po ikaw ang pinapatamaan ko doon. You were never a ‘sipsip’ to the Duterte admin,'” dela Rosa made the distinction.
(I would just like to react to the reaction of Cong. Acop to my press conference to you at that time. Let me clarify. ‘Gen. Acop, Sir, it was not you I was alluding to. You never kowtowed to the Duterte administration.’)
“I never heard you sang praises for the war on drugs that we waged during the Duterte admin. Kaya nagtataka lang po ako (kung) bakit ka nagre-react. Hindi po ikaw ang pinapatamaan ko doon, Sir. Yung iba po, hindi po ikaw,” the senator repeated for the second time.
(I never heard you sing praises for the war on drugs that we waged during the Duterte administration. So I’m just wondering why you reacted. You were not the one I was hitting, Sir. It’s the others, not you.)
The senator on Friday expressed his disappointment over former drug war allies’ sudden change in stance, branding them as opportunistic with no principles.
According to dela Rosa, the former vocal supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, particularly those persons who are in the House of Representatives, quickly became the former chief executive’s biggest critics.
In response to dela Rosa’s remarks, Acop — who is also a former Philippine National Police (PNP) General — lambasted the senator, calling him the “real opportunist who shamelessly used his ties with the former President to rise from being the PNP chief to senator.”
Now, Dela Rosa has apologized.
“I’m very sorry kung you reacted that way. Hindi po ikaw ang pinapatamaan ko,” he reiterated for the third time.
(I’m very sorry if you reacted that way. It was not you that I was talking about.)
“I have high respect to Cong. Acop. Isa yan sa Philippine Military Academy (PMA) [alumnus] na naging politiko na hinahangaan ko. Dalawa ‘yan. Sila ni Sen. Lacson, aking iniidolo,” dela Rosa identified.
(I have high respect for Cong. Acop. He is one of the Philippine Military Academy [alumnus] that I look up to. There’s two of them – he and Sen. Lacson, I am idolizing.)
Former Senator and former PNP Chief Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (File photo from BIBO NUEVA ESPAÑA / Senate PRIB)
“Sorry kung nahagip ka doon sa sinabi ko. I did not intend to mean it na ikaw ‘yun,” said dela Rosa addressed the House representative once more.
(I am sorry if you thought I was pertaining to you. I did not intend to mean that it was you.)
Asked how he feels about Acop’s remarks, dela Rosa said he respects his schoolmate’s opinion.
He told reporters that it is not in his character to correct behaviors, reprimand or put to shame his upperclassmen in the PMA.
“[H]indi po ako pwedeng mambastos sa kanila dahil alam ko kung gaano kasakit kung ako ang babastusin ng underclass ko, kagaya ng ginagawa ni [former Sen. Antonio] Trillanes ngayon sa akin,” he made the comparison.
(I cannot disrespect them because I know how painful it is to be disrespected by my underclass, just like what Trillanes is doing to me.)
As a former chief of the Philippine National Police, dela Rosa was the chief implementer of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. He is also among the individuals mentioned in the crimes against humanity complaint filed at the International Criminal Court.