Santa Rosa lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (Facebook)

Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez said the testimony of Police Col. Hector Grijaldo, who claimed in a Senate hearing that he had been coerced by the House quad-committee (quad-comm) was all part of a “script” that the police official had with Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Oct. 29, Fernandez speculated that Grijaldo’s allegations against the quad-comm were a consequence of his mention of the name of Dela Rosa’s son during a past hearing of the mega- panel.

The lawmaker said this happened during the hearing on Oct. 22 when he was questioning Police Col. Bryan Andulan over the latter’s involvement in the assassination of Los Baños, Laguna mayor Caesar Perez.

“So, when I was asking Col. Andulan about ’yung relationship mo kay (Then-PNP Chief) General Bato, sinabi niya na na-assign siya do’n sa PNPA (Philippine National Police Academy). Ang PNPA, during that time, ‘yung anak ni General Bato was in school, first year as plebe, so ‘yun ang sinabi ko ‘yun ang relasyon mo,” said Fernandez.

(So, when I was asking Col. Andulan about your relationship with General Bato, he said that he was assigned to the PNPA. The PNPA, during that time, General Bato's son was in school, first year as a plebe, so I said that was your relationship.)

During this exchange, Fernandez posited that Dela Rosa asked Andulan to keep an eye on his son, Police Lt. Rock Dela Rosa.

“And then suddenly, [gumulong] na ‘yung issue. Binanatan niya na ako (And then suddenly, the issue unfolded. He started criticizing me),” he added.

In a Facebook post a day after the hearing, Dela Rosa called out Fernandez for involving his son in the quad-comm discussions.

“If your son needs a babysitter, mine doesn't. FYI (for your information), my son entered PNPA against our will. He is a Scout Ranger, Airborne, and now a Special Forces student. Please do not demean his professionalism,” the senator wrote.

Fernandez, in response, stressed that he did not see a point in addressing Dela Rosa’s statement given that he did not mention a “babysitter” during his interpellation in the hearing.

“Hindi naman ako, siya naman ang nag-mention ng babysitter…And of course, nasaktan ako doon, wala akong na-mention na na-babysit ‘yung anak mo,” the congressman said.

(It wasn't me who mentioned the babysitter… And of course, I was hurt by that. I didn't mention that your child was being babysat.)

“Sabi ko, ‘pag nagkausap kami ni General Bato, magkakausap kami ng maayos. But unfortunately, ito ‘yung lumabas. Si Grijaldo lumabas do’n [in the Senate] may affidavit and then suddenly siya ‘yung naging focal person sa kanila,” he added. “So, there is a correlation on this.”

(I said, if General Bato and I talk, we will have a proper conversation. But unfortunately, this is what came out. Grijaldo came out with an affidavit in the Senate and then suddenly, he became their focal person. So, there is a correlation on this.)

According to Fernandez, Grijaldo participated in this supposed “script” to get even with the congressmen after the official was placed under preventive suspension by the PNP.

Grijaldo was the former police chief of Mandaluyong during the killing of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

‘We’re not like that’ 

At the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday, Grijaldo tagged Fernandez and Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. for supposedly pressuring him to confirm the existence of a reward system during the previous administration’s war on drugs.

At one point, the police official said he was “harassed” by both lawmakers, who were also co-chairmen in the quad-comm.

“We’re not like that. And we have to remember, we have a lot of [pieces of evidence] already,” he explained.

The Laguna solon told reporters that they only met with Grijaldo after he was identified by retired police colonel Royina Garma as someone who can confirm the reward system.

It was during this meeting, also attended by quad-comm lead chairman Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, that Garma’s narration about the war on drugs suddenly “changed”, he said.

Fernandez suggested that Garma could be intimidated by the presence of Grijaldo--supposedly her friend.

“Kaya nagulat ako no’ng nandoon na siya, nagsalita siya against us (So I was surprised when he was there, speaking against us)” added Fernandez.

“Well, script nila ‘yun eh. Bahala sila do’n, panindigan niya kung ano magiging repercussion sa kaniya,” he stressed.

(Well, that's their script. It's up to them, they have to deal with whatever repercussions that might come their way.)

Legal action 

Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, underscored that the quad-comm will not take Grijaldo’s allegations lightly as they are now planning to undertake legal action.

“Hindi naman tama (it's not right if) kung we take this sitting down, we need to ferret out the deeper reason why this happened that somebody will take his oath doon sa Senado (in the Senate) and tell lies against the quad-comm,” the congressman said.

“Hindi lang naman ako ang tinira dito (It's not just me who was attacked here), but the whole of the committee. And it is incumbent upon the leadership of the quad-comm and the House as well, to take action on this,” he explained.

Fernandez noted that the integrity of the quad-comm was “at stake” since Grijaldo testified under oath that he was supposedly coerced and harassed. 

Fernandez insisted that both he and Abante “have done nothing wrong”.

For the time being, he says he is willing to face and deal with the consequences of Grijaldo's testimony.