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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bato Dela Rosa apologizes, says Acop not among those 'opportunistic' House members

Bato Dela Rosa apologizes, says Acop not among those 'opportunistic' House members

Published Aug 19, 2024 05:28 am

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday, August 19 apologized to Antipolo City 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop, saying he is not among the “unprincipled” and “opportunistic” lawmakers at the House of Representatives who changed their stance on the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs. 

 

Dela Rosa, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, made the clarification in a press conference at the Senate, saying he wasn’t pertaining to Acop—who is also a former PNP general—when he made the statement.

 

“Klaruhin ko, Gen. Acop. Sir, hindi po ikaw ang pinatatamaan ko doon. You were never a sipsip to the Duterte administration, (I just want to clarify Gen. Acop. Sir, you’re not the one I’m referring to. You were never an asskisser to the Duterte administration),” Dela Rosa said.

 

“I never heard you sang praises to the war on drugs of the Duterte administration. Kaya nagtataka ako bakit ka nagre-react. Hindi ikaw ang pinapatamaan ko. Yung iba po (that’s why I was puzzled why you reacted. You’re not the one I was referring to, but the others),” he further said. 

 

As far as he is concerned, Dela Rosa said he has high respect for Acop, the same way with former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. Both Acop and Lacson were Dela Rosa’s upperclassmen at the Philippine Military Academy. 

 

“Sorry kung nahagip ka doon sa sinabi ko (I’m sorry if were caught up to what I said). I did not intend to mean it na ikaw ‘yun (that it was you),” said Dela Rosa, addressing his apology again to Acop.

 

Last Friday, Dela Rosa expressed his disappointment over some members of the House who suddenly changed their support, and became critics of the Duterte government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, calling them opportunistic and unprincipled lawmakers. 

 

Dela Rosa made the statement while the House’s quad committee (quad-com) started its initial investigation into the extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). 

 

The senator said he will speak with Acop to clear the issue: “You are not the man (I was talking about). You are not that guy. Di ka ganung klaseng tao (you are not like that).”

 

Acop had also called Dela Rosa a “lapdog” and “the real opportunist” who used his ties with the former president to rise from PNP chief to senator.

 

 

“I respect his opinion…but it never really crossed my mind na kasama si Gen. Acop. Hindi ako pwedeng mambastos sa kanila dahil alam ko kung gaano kasakit kung ako babastusin ng underclass ko. Kagaya ng ginagawa ni Trillanes ngayon sa akin (I can't disrespect him because I know how painful it is to be disrespected by an underclass like what former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is doing to me now),” Dela Rosa said. 

 

Related Tags

EJKs Senate of the Philippines House of Representatives drug war Romeo Acop Bato dela Rosa quad-committee POGO ban
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