SENATOR Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has admitted being behind a Senate resolution seeking the dismissal of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In an interview with reporters, Dela Rosa, a staunch ally of the Duterte family, said the resolution, which is in support to the earlier manifestation of Senator Francis Tolentino, came from his office after he initiated its drafting.
He said he consulted some of his fellow lawmakers on the matter, but he refused to divulge yet if he gathered enough support for the said resolution.
Dela Rosa said other senators also drafted similar resolutions, but he refused to identify who they were.
“So siguro i-incorporate ‘yun kung anumang magaganda provision sa kanilang draft para mapaganda ‘yung final version at magiging acceptable sa lahat—’yung pwedeng makuha suporta ng lahat, ng karamihan,” Dela Rosa said.
(So maybe those good provisions in their draft can be incorporated to improve the final version and make it acceptable to everyone—something that can gain the support of all, or at least the majority.)
Dela Rosa denied Duterte’s involvement in his initiative.
“Ewan ko kung nakarating sa kanya. Pero sabihin mo ako personally magre-report sa kanya, no. That’s my own initiative. Galing ‘yan sa akin. Wala siyang pakialam dito,” he added.
(I don’t know if it reached him. But let me tell you, I’ll personally report it to him, okay? That’s my own initiative. It came from me. She has nothing to do with this.)
During a plenary session on Monday, June 2, Tolentino said Duterte’s impeachment case will be considered “functionally dismisses” if the trial will not be completed before June 30, the last day of the 19th Congress.
Tolentino noted that “unfinished business does not carry over into a new Congress.”
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier said the reading of impeachment complaints against Duterte was pushed back to June 11 from June 2 in order for the Senate to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)