Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa — Photo from Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bato dela Rosa admitted to “not wanting” the actions of one panel in the “quad committee” of the House of Representatives.
The quad-committee is composed of the panels on dangerous drugs, public order and safety, human rights, and public accounts.
In a press conference on Monday, he said this House joint panel has been repeatedly conducting an investigation on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) related to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
“[W]ala ako masasabi against the quad comm dahil they are doing their job. Iisa lang committee dyan na hindi ko nagugustuhan, pero all the rest — hindi naman ‘yan pabalik-balik,” said dela Rosa.
(I have nothing to say against the quad comm because they are doing their job. There’s only one committee there that I don’t like. But all the rest, they don’t tend to do the same thing.)
“Kagaya noong nag imbestiga [sa Philippine offshore gaming operators], e bagong issue ‘yan eh. Walang problema ‘yan. Ang hindi ko lang… e I am free to express myself, ‘di ba? Ang ‘di ko lang nagustuhan ay ‘yung pag iimbestiga against EJK ng war on drugs. Pabalik-balik na lang ‘yan eh,” dela Rosa observed.
(Just like that panel investigating Pogos, that’s a new issue. There’s no problem with that. What I don’t… I am free to express myself, right? What I don’t want is the repeated investigation against EJK on the war on drugs. It just keeps on going back.)
Asked what committee he was pertaining to, dela Rosa immediately answered that it was the House committee on human rights headed by Manila Sixth District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.
“Hindi ko nilalahat ang buong quad comm. Yung isang committee lang doon na pabalik-balik ang imbestigasyon sa EJK. All others, nirerespeto ko ang trabaho nila in the same breath that I am also expecting them to respect my job here in the Senate,” said dela Rosa.
(I am not generalizing the entire quad comm. I am only referring to that one committee conducting a repeated investigation on EJK. I am respecting the work of all the others in the same breath that I am also expecting them to respect my job here in the Senate.)
The senator proceeded to brand the “repeated” holding of investigation on the same issue as “a fishing expedition.”
“Sila na tanungin mo kung anong hinahanap nila at saan nila gagamitin itong hinahanap nila. Pero hindi ko sinasabi na dapat huminto sila. Trabaho nila yan. E siguro naman, I am free to express my opinion din naman,” he added.
(Ask them what they are looking for and where they are planning to use it. I am not saying that they should stop. It’s their job. But maybe I am also free to express my opinion.)
READ: Rep. Abante says House panel ‘will not in any way’ work with ICC
Dela Rosa, being a former Philippine National Police chief, was the head implementer of Duterte’s bloody drug campaign dubbed as Oplan Tokhang.
He is among the persons mentioned in the crimes against humanity complaint before the International Criminal Court.