Abante Speaks on Possibility of Inviting Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Bato dela Rosa to House Inquiry
RODRIGO DUTERTE – The President and Senator Bato dela Rosa may be invited in a Quad Committee’s hearing in the House of Representatives.
The administration of former Pres. Duterte is surrounded by allegations. Not only the former President but as well as the people close to him are accused in different issues. One of them is Senator Bato dela Rosa who served as the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during Duterte’s administration.
Sen. Bato dela Rosa is accused by self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of coercing him to pin down former Sen. Leila de Lima to link her to drug allegations. The former Senator was detained for six (6) years due to drug charges that were dropped later on.
The authorities also wanted to know about the possible presence of the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operations during the Duterte administration. In the House of Representatives, the House Quad Committee looks into the illegal POGO issues.
Recently, House QuadComm co-chair and Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante spoke on the possibility of inviting Sen. Bato dela Rosa and former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte into a QuadComm hearing.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the statement of Abante came after long-hours of House hearing that invited Royina Garma, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
The former PCSO manager claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte allegedly asked her to look for an officer for the nationwide implementation of the “Davao model” of his war against drugs. However, Abante also recalled that the former President was previously invited by the House Human Rights panel which he also chairs but the former Chief Executive did not attend the inquiry.
Based on the report, Abante also recalled that the same Human Rights committee also invited former PNP chief and now Sen. Bato dela Rosa into a hearing but he declined it citing inter-parliamentary courtesy.
According to the House QuadComm Chairman, Dela Rosa may maintain the reason if he will not attend the House hearing. Abante stressed that while they respect it, the House members go to the Senate whenever they are invited for an inquiry.