Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Friday, August 16 said he cannot help but be dismayed that some lawmakers at the House of Representatives that once defended and hailed the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” have now become staunch critics of the previous government.

While it all boils down to politics, Dela Rosa said he believes such lawmakers can be described as opportunistic and unprincipled.

“Nakakalungkot talaga, kung gaano sila kabilis, noon, (It’s really sad, just how fast in the past for them) singing hallelujah! Thank you for the drug war! Thank you for the peace and order! Thank you for the tranquility! Thank you for keeping the street safe from the drug menace… ngayon (now) you are the villain,” Dela Rosa said in an online press conference.

“Ako kasi di naman nagmamayabang, pero ( don’t want to boast but) I can see in the near future, even in the farthest future na I can’t see myself doing like that.

“Prinsipyo ang pag usapan natin dito (we are talking here of principles), not opportunity. Para sa akin (For me) I don’t care about opportunities. I have to stand on my own principles,” he said.

Dela Rosa also said he finds the House’s move to reopen hearings about the drug war and the extra judicial killings “very redundant.”

“Paulit ulit na lang (It has become redundant). We are wondering why binuhay na naman nila (why are they trying to revive it?” the senator said referring to the House’s quad-committee hearing held in Pampanga.

“Kaya nga that even emboldened ex-president Duterte not to attend, dahil paulit-ulit na lang. same people, same tanong. Same answer, and yet wala naman sila nakasuhan (That’s why even former president Duterte is emboldened not to attend, because they just keep on repeating it, same people same questions, same answers and yet they have not charged anyone),” he added.

“Yung (probe on) POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) is different pero nililink pa rin nila sa extra judicial killings, sa drugs. So be it,” he said.

“Let them conduct the investigation. I’m not criticizing the investigation about POGO. Sa akin lang yung drugs and EJK paulit ulit na lang (for me, the probe on drugs and EJKs are very redundant),” he reiterated.

Nevertheless, Dela Rosa said he believes there are still people in the Lower House who do not subscribe to the majority’s decision, who are just silently supportive of the previous administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.

“Meron pa rin dyan nananahimik pero nanahimik na lang dahil ayaw nila ma antagonize yung leadership nila…Alam ko meron pa rin mga ganung tao (There are still those who are silent but they chose to be silent because they do not want to antagonize their leadership…I still believe there are still people there),” he said.

“But so far those who are so fast in changing their stand, in changing their views. And changing their everything. All I can say is that these people are so opportunistic. They forget their principles,” he lamented.

“Mas pina prioritize nila yung (They prioritize the) opportunity. Whatever that opportunity is, sila lang nakakaalam (they are the only ones wh know),” he pointed out.

Dela Rosa said he believes these lawmakers who turned their back on the Duterte administration’s drug war will definitely reverse their stance on the program should the Dutertes return to power.

“Ginawa na nila nyan ngayon eh so most likely gagawin din nila yan ulit. Nangyari na eh proven na yan ngayon (They did it now, they will do that again. It’s been proven). These are people na hindi dapat mapagkatiwalaan (who should not be trusted) because they are not principled people,” he stressed.

“As I have said these are not principled people. We need principled people in government. Sana maging mapagmatyag ang mamamayang pilipino sino mga taong may prinsipyo at wala (I hope that the people would be vigilant and be aware of who are the lawmakers who have principles and those who have none),” he pointed out.