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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Barbers: Dela Rosa's claim just 'marites' 

Barbers: Dela Rosa's claim just 'marites' 

Published Aug 9, 2024 05:56 am

At A Glance

  • Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has brushed off as mere "marites" or gossip the claim of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa that certain ranking congressmen tried to pressure police personalities into testifying before the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

20240809_123337.jpgSurigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (Facebook)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has brushed off as mere "marites" or gossip the claim of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa that certain ranking congressmen tried to pressure police personalities into testifying before the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Barbers, in a Zoom interview Friday, Aug. 9,, effectively defended House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako-Biicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co from any wrongdoing that Dela Rosa's statements may have suggested. 

"Well, unang-una tungkol kay General [Romeo] Caramat, mukhang marites lang yun na mayroong ganong pag-uusap o mayroong ganong naganap na meeting (first of all, about General Caramat, I think the claim that there were such discussions or such meeting took place is just gossip)," he said. 

Barbers said Co had also vehemently denied Dela Rosa's allegations. 

Citing "very reliable information", Dela Rosa claimed Thursday that Romualdez, Co, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Ricardo De Leon, and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, talked to police officials to implicate him and former president Rodrigo Duterte before the ICC. 

Dela Rosa was referring to current and former Philippine National Police (PNP) officials, namely Caramat, former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, former National Police Commission (Napolcom) commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, and former PNP Chief Intelligence Officer Eleazar Mata. 

Referring to Co, Barbers said: "Sabi niya na wala naman pong ganon (He said there was no such meeting). The only occasion where he met the good general was maybe I think twice. At wala naman pong pinag-usapan [about ICC] (There was no discussion about ICC)." 

In a statement Thursday night, Co said that he met Caramat at Romualdez's residence a few months ago. 

READ FIRST: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/8/co-counters-dela-rosa-there-was-never-any-mention-of-icc 

"When I arrived, Gen. Caramat was already there. From the conversation, I heard that he (Gen. Caramat) was willing to tell everything he knows about EJKs (extrajudicial killings) in exchange for his appointment as Chief PNP. This was flatly rejected by Speaker Romualdez," the Ako Bicol Party-list lawmaker said. 

Barbers agreed with Romualdez in thumbing down Caramat's supposed endorsement request. 

"Eh gaya ng paninindigan ng ating Speaker, eh wala naman po sa powers na ang ating Speaker yung mag appoint po ng isang Chief PNP," the Nacionalista Party (NP) stalwart and Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman said. 

(Like what the Speaker said, it is not among the powers of the Speaker to appoint a Chief PNP.) 

The ICC had implicated both former president Duterte and former PNP chief Dela Rosa in the alleged EJK spree during the previous administration's aggressive war on drugs.

Related Tags

Robert Ace Barbers Ronald Bato dela Rosa International Criminal Court (ICC) Romeo Caramat Rodrigo Duterte
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