‘Cry Baby Cry’: Gov’t officials who sobbed amid controversies

Emotional PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa during Senate probe. PDI/RICHARD REYES

Since the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in June 2016, a few of his top officials have reached their breaking points in the midst of the controversies they are facing.

The most recent among them was Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon who teared up after refusing to answer Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s questions on corruption in the agency. This following the entry of 605 kilograms smuggled shabu from China worth P6.4 billion that allegedly slipped past the Bureau of Customs.

During the Senate’s probe on the drug shipment issue on Tuesday, Senator Richard Gordon called for a recess and spoke to Faeldon who broke down while talking with him.

READ: Faeldon in standoff with Trillanes before admitting corruption in BOC

Here are the other embattled officials who turned emotional amid the issues hurled against them and their offices:

Comelec Chief Andres Bautista

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chief Andres “Andy” Bautista, who is being accused by his wife Patricia of having P1 billion in unexplained wealth, became emotional when he faced Comelec employees on Monday.

“Hindi naman mahirap ibigay yang posisyon o bumaba sa posisyon. Ang problema ko ay ang mawala ang Comelec family sa aking buhay,” a tearful Bautista told employees during their flag-raising ceremony.

(It is not hard to give up the position. My problem is that I don’t want the Comelec family to be out of my life.)

READ: Bautista turns emotional in front of Comelec employees

“Kasi talagang over the years, you have shown sincere, genuine care and affection. And perhaps that’s what also made my thought process difficult,” he added.

He also broke down during an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when he denied the allegations thrown against him by his wife, adding that he did not want his children to suffer from the issue.

PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa

In November last year, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa also broke down in tears during a Senate hearing over what he described as loss of public trust and the difficulty of fighting illegal drugs.

READ: Frustrated ‘Bato’ turns emotional, but vows to reform PNP

“Your honor, I can’t blame the public if they are losing trust and confidence to the police because I, myself sabi ko nga, hindi mo na minsan alam kung sino ang pagkakatiwalan (I have said that sometimes you no longer know whom to trust),” Dela Rosa told the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs when Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri asked how he could clean the ranks of the police. JE