Bato fires back at Castro: I answer to the people, 'not to a brat'

Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa answered back against accusations over his refusal to attend the House Committee on Human Rights' probe on the drug war killings during the previous administration. 

House Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro went as far as to claim that the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief-turned-senator was "[attempting] to evade accountability". 

"Senator Dela Rosa should not hide behind inter-parliamentary courtesy as an excuse. The truth is, he is afraid to face the victims of the bloody drug war that he and former president [Rodrigo] Duterte orchestrated," Castro said in the statement Sunday, June 30. 

Dela Rosa said that he has already answered past inquiries in Congress. He told his critics that if they found any irregularities in the performance of their duties then, they should have filed cases in court. 

"Why am I being demonized yet again by the same people who have been against the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the past administration?... They had all the time and power to put up a case against me, but they failed to do so. Perhaps they themselves had a hard time to justify their claims," he said.

"Anyway, let them say what they want against me. After all, it is our people to whom I am accountable and answerable, not to a brat. Especially not to one who has not even stared death in the eye if only to defend our country, and yet acts as though he/she is the most patriotic of them all," he added.

Dela Rosa said that he will not attend the House's investigation upon Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's advice.

He clarified that he is only following the long-time tradition in the Senate to follow their top leader.

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.

Meanwhile, Castro pointed out the inconsistency in Dela Rosa's stance, noting that the senator himself had previously invited members of the House to Senate hearings. "Didn't he invite [Kabataan Party-list] Congressman Raoul Manuel to a Senate hearing? Why the double standard now?" she asked. 

Dela Rosa said that he does not recall Manuel attending any of the hearings of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

"I do not remember Rep. Manuel attending any of the hearings of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to shed light on the allegations made by former rebels that Rep. Manuel himself recruited those missing minors who eventually joined the communist terrorists' armed struggle," he added.