Dela Rosa: No need to take indefinite leave amid Senate drug war probe

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
—SENATE PRIB / file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Former top cop-turned-lawmaker Sen. Bato dela Rosa is not heeding calls for him to take an indefinite leave of absence amid the Senate’s drug war probe, maintaining the need to confront “liars.”

Dela Rosa made the remark after Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña told Duterte clan allies dela Rosa and Sen. Bong Go to file for an indefinite leave of absence from the chamber given to their “central involvement” in the controversial anti-drug campaign.

Cendaña especially highlighted dela Rosa and Go’s alleged roles in the killings and the implementation of the “Davao model,” which encouraged rogue police officers to engage in extrajudicial executions.

He said these create a “glaring conflict of interest” and undermine the credibility of the Senate probe scheduled for Monday.

However, dela Rosa stood firm, maintaining he would attend the Senate’s public hearing.

“No! I have to confront the liars because the public deserves to know the truth,” dela Rosa told reporters in a Viber message on Tuesday after he was asked to comment on the matter.

Being Rodrigo Duterte’s former top cop, dela Rosa was also the chief implementer of the former president’s merciless campaign against illegal drugs, which resulted in his listing among Duterte administration officials who were accused of crimes against humanity by drug war victims-families before the International Criminal Court.

In a separate phone patch interview also on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, who is set to lead the chamber’s drug war probe, said dela Rosa and Go, like any other senators who will be attending the investigation, will be given their respective time to raise questions.

Pimentel said they can also use this time to read their statements or address controversies floated against them.