KEY leaders in the House of Representatives have strongly condemned Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s series of attacks against the House leadership, calling them “unfounded and unparliamentary.”
Dela Rosa recently accused the House leadership of orchestrating the creation of the quad-committee to investigate links between the Duterte administration’s war on drugs and illegal activities tied to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The senator, who was a key enforcer of the previous administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign, also alleged that the House leadership was involved in efforts to implicate him and former President Rodrigo Duterte in the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) currently under international scrutiny.
Earlier, Dela Rosa claimed that the House leadership had discussions with police officials to frame him as a suspect in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs—a claim that has since been debunked.
House Deputy Speaker and Quezon 1st District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez lashed out at Dela Rosa, calling his allegations baseless and a distraction from the real issues at hand.
“Senator Dela Rosa’s accusations are not only unnecessary but also unparliamentary and unbecoming of a public servant. The House leadership has always acted with the utmost integrity, and it is highly irresponsible for anyone to suggest that they are behind a witch hunt against Senator Dela Rosa or former President Duterte,” Suarez said.
Suarez clarified that the quad-committee was not initiated by the House leadership but was formed through the strong consensus of members who overwhelmingly supported the resolution in plenary.
He added that the committee was established to pursue the truth behind serious allegations of illegal activities, not to settle political scores.
“This investigation is about uncovering the truth behind the syndicates involved in illegal drugs and POGOs. It is not, and never has been, about politics,” Suarez pointed out.
Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre also criticized Dela Rosa for resorting to personal attacks rather than addressing the serious concerns raised by the ongoing investigation.
“Senator Dela Rosa’s remarks are deeply disappointing. Instead of cooperating with the investigation to shed light on the issues, he has chosen to launch personal attacks against the House leadership, which has done nothing but ensure that the House exercises its oversight functions effectively,” Acidre, who is also chair of the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, said.
Acidre reiterated that the focus of the quad-committee is to investigate the troubling links between EJKs, illegal drugs, and POGOs, as well as to hold accountable those who may have facilitated or protected these activities.
“The mandate of the quad-committee is clear—to seek the truth and ensure justice. We will not be deterred by baseless accusations,” he said.
The quad-committee—composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts—earlier disclosed its plan to invite Dela Rosa, who was Duterte’s first police chief and architect of his bloody drug war.
Dela Rosa said that he has no plans to attend the joint hearing, citing his desire to uphold the tradition of interparliamentary courtesy between the Senate and the House as his reason for declining the invitation.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the dangerous drugs panel, had earlier rejected the idea that the quad-committee’s investigation would be used against Dela Rosa and Duterte.
He insisted that the focus of the investigation is uncovering the truth behind these syndicates and their protectors, without any political motives.
The committee’s first hearing is scheduled for August 15, following an organizational meeting on August 12.
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