President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday rejected the proposal of majority senators to amend chamber rules allowing online attendance and voting, warning it was designed to benefit fugitive Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“I disagree with that. I understand that we had to do it in COVID because there was a health risk. But I do not see any particularly good reason for us to allow it now,” Marcos said.
The President suggested the measure was tailored to accommodate dela Rosa, who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
“It seems to only be applicable to Sen. Bato para makaboto si Sen. Bato dahil nagtatago siya,” he remarked.
“For someone who is actually a fugitive from justice na hinahanap ng pulis… ng Interpol at may arrest warrant galing sa ICC, palagay ko hindi siya dapat bumoto hangga’t dumating siya roon sa Senado kung he’s willing to take the risk.”
Marcos expressed shock at the Senate’s descent into what he described as personal and shallow disputes.
“I watched with horror that the Senate has become this. I looked at my other fellow senators. Madalas kaming natitinginan ni ES Ralph. Ganyan ba tayo noong senador tayo? Mayroon ba tayong ganyan na ginagawa? Hindi tayo ganyan. Paano nangyari?”
He lamented that the chamber was no longer the Senate of his time.
“Iyong Senado hindi na kagaya noong panahon natin. Dahil nagpe-personalan na eh. Naging personal. Ang babaw na nang usapan.”
Marcos concluded with disbelief that the Senate now appeared to be shielding fugitives.
“And I never imagined that the Senate would descend into this kind of what’s happening right now. The Senate is now sheltering fugitives from justice. How did that happen?” # (ZIA LUNA)
