‘Hindi sa nagpapabango tayo sa human rights,’ says dela Rosa on bill to decriminalize drug use

FILE PHOTO: Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — His proposal to decriminalize the use of illegal drugs in the country is not in any way meant to win over human rights defenders.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Friday dispelled any misconceptions about his proposal by providing details about Senate Bill No. 202 he filed last July.

“Hindi sa nagpapabango tayo sa human rights ha. Wala akong pakialam sa inyo dyan, wala akong pakialam sa inyo dyan mga human rights kayo,” he said in an interview over DZBB on Friday.

(No, it’s not because we’re trying to woo these human rights defenders. Not that it matters to me. I could care less about these so-called human rights activists.)

“Ang akin lang e bilang isang tao nakikita ko na dapat e rehab ito, imbes na ikulong, imbes na kasuhan ay i-rehab ito mas maganda siguro. Yun ang naisip ko, not knowing na meron din palang hindi magandang possible o potential repercussions itong magiging batas na ito so nag iisip isip tayo ngayon,” dela Rosa said.

(As human beings, I think we should just put them in rehab, instead of sending them to jail. That’s what I thought then, not knowing that this law may not have good repercussions)

According to the senator, he now has second thoughts about his bill after listening to the arguments discussed during the Senate committee hearing on public order and dangerous drugs, which he chairs.

Asked in the same interview about the seeming “sudden turn around from his previous stand against drug addicts, dela Rosa said: “Hindi naman, ang sa atin lang is naawa rin tayo.”

(No, I just feel sorry for them)

Dela Rosa was at the helm of the Philippine National Police (PNP) when the so-called bloody war on drugs was implemented by the previous administration.

This resulted in the deaths of least 6,000 drug suspects, police earlier reported.

“While we want to punish the offenders, we’re also after their rehabilitation and reformation na pwede pa silang magbagong buhay,” he said.

The senator recalled visiting crowded jails where some inmates were sleeping while standing.

“So bilang isang tao, tao ka rin makikita mo kawawa naman itong mga tao na ito. Baka pwede itong i-rehab na lang meron naman tayong mga rehabilitation centers na walang laman dapat dun na lang, so yun naisip ko yan noon.”

(You’re also a human being and seeing their condition, you will feel sorry for them. So maybe we can just put them in rehab since we have empty rehabilitation centers)

“Tao rin tayo kahit papaano, maawa din tayo sa ating kapwa pag ganun na kahirap ang sitwasyon nila,” he further said.

/MUF/abc