Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa admitted on Wednesday, October 30, that former President Rodrigo Duterte's admissions in the Senate's drug war probe could be used against him.
"Pwedeng magamit yan against him lalong-lalo na under oath siya (It can be used against him especially he was under oath)," he told reporters in an interview.
Dela Rosa said that it would be up to Duterte to defend himself.
"Kasi nga hinahamon pa nga niya yung nag-iimbestiga e, lahat ng komite na nag-iimbestiga sa kanya you file cases against [him] kung may ebidensya kasuhan daw siya (He was even challenging those investigating, all the committees investigating him to file cases at if there's evidence they should file charges)," he added.
During the hearing, Duterte called those on his right who were police directors as "death squad commanders.”
He added that it was because they were police directors in charge of controlling crimes in the city.
Duterte even specifically referred to Dela Rosa, stating "death squad din yan (he's also death squad)."
He eventually admitted that he had a death squad, not composed of policemen, but gangsters.
Duterte also said that he's wondering why the justice department has not filed a case against him yet despite "matagal na kong pumapatay ng tao (killing people for a long time)."
Asked if he would advise Duterte to be more careful with what he's saying, Dela Rosa said: "Well, that's how he is, that's how he speaks, after six years of presidency niya ganun talaga ugali niya (that's just the way he is) and nobody can control him."
Jokes under oath?
According to Dela Rosa, it's up to the committee to decide if how they would decipher Duterte's admissions.
"It's up to the committee to decide on those 'joke' niya na sinasabi (on those 'jokes' that he said)," Dela Rosa said.
He added that as far as Duterte's statement that Dela Rosa and some former Davao police directors were death squad commanders are concerned, it's 100 percent a joke. This so-called joke was stated by Duterte under oath as resource persons are asked to swear in and tell the truth.
Dela Rosa also stated that Duterte's well aware of the fact that he's spouting these admissions under oath and these can also be used against him.