Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said that he was "dumbfounded" after finding out that Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa supported the move to unseat him as the Senate President.
"Alam mo, I thought I've seen strange things in my political career, and this happens to be the strangest. Kung kahapon ako po ay heartbroken, ngayon po ako ay dumbfounded (If yesterday I was heartbroken, today I'm dumbfounded)," Zubiri told reporters.
Upon his resignation as Senate President, Zubiri was of the idea that Dela Rosa did not sign the resolution to unseat him, even lauding the senator for his loyalty.
According to Sen. Joel Villanueva, they only learned of it when it was disclosed to them by Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.
"Friendly talks inside the lounge, paalis na kami, and then he said tatlo silang nag-sign so parang nagulat kami hindi ah yung isa hindi (we were about to leave, then he said that the three of them signed so we were surprised and said that one of them did not)," he said.
Zubiri also mentioned that by defending Dela Rosa as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and because of that, he became a sacrifice and lost his position.
"Let’s move on, pero yun nga lang hindi ko maintindihan (but I cannot really understand), I am in shock. Sige lang ganun talaga ang pulitika (I guess politics is just like that), I mean there's no permanent friends only permanent interest," he said.
Zubiri said that Dela Rosa approached him yet he told him to give him time to process what happened.
"Nakausap ko siya sinabi ko sa kaniya bigyan niya ko ng pagkakataon, hindi ko pa talaga mabigyan ng kumento, hindi ko pa maprocess yung pangyayari. Give me time, niyakap mo pa yung asawa ko. Parang bakit mo pa niyakap yung asawa ko? (I talked to him and I told him to give me time, I cannot comment, I cannot process yet what happened. Give me time, you even hugged my wife. I mean, why even embrace my wife?" he stated.
Asked if Dela Rosa betrayed him, Zubiri replied: "Let the people decide."