Escudero: Dela Rosa must not lead drug war probe to avoid charge of bias

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero (File photo from JOSEPH VIDAL / Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — For Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, it will be better if Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa will not lead the investigation on the previous administration’s drug war to avoid allegations of partiality.

Dela Rosa, the chief of police during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term, earlier expressed plans to lead the probe.

He is now the head of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

READ: Senate committee of the whole probe into Duterte’s drug war sought

This view was countered by Sen. Risa Hontiveros as she sought for a Senate committee of the whole that will probe Duterte’s bloody war on drugs instead.

“Haharapin namin ‘yan sa mga susunod na araw. Kukunsultahin ko ang ibang miyembro. Pero nakausap ko na si Sen. Bato kaugnay nyan,” Escudero said in a chance interview in Sorsogon City on Thursday.

(We will face that in the coming days. I will consult with the other members. But I have already spoken to Sen. Bato regarding that.)

“Ang sinabi ko sa kanya, ano mang imbestigasyon na nais nya patungkol sa kanya mismo at kay Sen. Go, mas maganda siguro kung hindi sila mismo ang manguna ng komiteng yun para walang alegasyon na ito ay personal at hindi impartial at hindi fair,” the Senate leader told reporters.

(I told him that for any investigation involving him and Sen. Go, it might be better if they do not lead that committee themselves so there won’t be any allegations that it is personal, biased or unfair.)

He added that while a Senate committee of the whole is an option, he is also considering other committees to handle the investigation.

“Committee of the whole, option yun, pero ang tinitingnan ko rin ay iba pang komite na pwedeng mag-handle nito maliban sa komite ni Senator Bato,” he said.

(The committee of the whole is an option, but I am also considering other committees that can handle this, aside from Senator Bato’s committee.)

“Siyempre may karapatan siya at bahagi siya doon sa pagtalakay at discuss ng bagay na ‘yun,” he also said.

(Of course, he has the right to be involved and he is part of the discussion on that matter.)

READ: Bong Go wants Senate to probe Duterte admin’s drug war

Dela Rosa’s role in the Philippine National Police got him included among the Duterte administration officials accused of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.

The charges were filed by the families of drug war victims.

Meanwhile, Go, who is a former aide to Duterte, mulls a resolution to kickstart the Senate investigation into the drug war.