Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said on Wednesday, June 26, that Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa may or may not attend the House Committee on Human Right invitation to the future hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the previous administration's bloody war on illegal drugs.
It was House panel chair, Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. who suggested that Dela Rosa and former president Rodrigo Duterte be invited after presiding over a hearing on the same topic on Tuesday, June 25.
Escudero stated that according to inter-chamber courtesy, the House may issue invites to members of the Senate "but it cannot and should not issue compulsory process" against a member of a co-equal chamber.
He added that the same rules apply to the Senate vis-a-vis House members.
"It is an invite and the invitee may voluntarily go or decide not to. Sen. Bato has expressed to me his position, at this time, that he is not inclined to attend. I told him that I support whatever decision he will arrive at regarding this matter and will always be a vanguard and guard the rights, privileges and prerogatives of the Senate and members of the Senate," Escudero said in a message to reporters.
In a statement late Tuesday, Dela Rosa said that he would not attend the House's investigation upon Escudero's advice.
Although he has not received an official invitation yet from the House Committee on Human Rights, Dela Rosa said he sought Escudero's guidance following the recent developments in the Lower House.
"I sought the advice of the Senate President on what to do. Sa akin wala akong problema (For me, I don't have any problem), I can face them anytime. But still, I have to follow the guidance of the Senate President being a member of the institution, the Senate of the Philippines. Kailangan ko sundan 'yung guidance niya (I have to follow his guidance)," Dela Rosa said in a radio interview.
"Ang kanya namang sagot, ‘No, you don’t have to attend’ dahil 'yun nga may mga discussion sa Senado na every time na lang merong i-pa-pop out na pangalan ng senador sa hearing nila, ibe-break natin yung inter-parliamentary courtesy. Ano ang magagawa ng senador? Bente-kwatro lang kami, sige na lang attend sa hearing nila wala nang magagawa ang Senado sa kanyang legislative function (His answer was, 'No, you don't have to attend' because there were discussions in the Senate that every time a name of a senator pops up in their hearing, we will break the inter-parliamentary courtesy. What can senators do? There are only 24 of us, by attending their hearing the Senate cannot fulfill its legislative function)," the former national police chief added.
Dela Rosa clarified that he is only following the long-time tradition in the Senate to follow their top leader.
"We have to seek guidance dahil nga that is an enshrined practice, tradition among chambers of legislature to observe inter-parliamentary courtesy," the Mindanaoan lawmaker said.
"Every time you make an official act, alam 'yan ng liderato ng Senado para hindi tayo magkasisihan sa bandang dulo na gawa-gawa ka ng sariling desisyon d'yan in your official capacity na hindi alam ng liderato ng Senado (it should be known by the Senate leadership so we do not blame each other in the end that you decided on your own in your own official capacity without the knowledge of the Senate leadership)," he further explained.