Reelectionist Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has appealed for understanding from his critics saying he finds it necessary to change his strategy should the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) be implemented against him.
According to Dela Rosa, he has to “adjust” based on President Marcos' actions.
“Pabago-bago nga ang (isip ng) ating Presidente, ako pa, hindi magbabago (Our president mind changes, so why can’t I also change my strategy),” Dela Rosa said during a radio interview.
“Sabi nga ni Pangulong BBM, ‘Gabuhok mo hindi mahawakan ng ICC,’ kaya naniwala naman tayo. Naniwala naman tayo. Ngayon, nagbago na ang isip niya (The President had said ‘not a single of your hair would be handled by the ICC’; we believed. But now, his position has changed),” he lamented.
“Ako pa? ‘Yung atin namang mga ginagawa ay purely reactions lamang. Magbago sila, magbago rin tayo. Alangan hindi tayo magbabago eh lugi tayo kung hindi tayo magbago, ‘di ba? Sila pabago-bago, mag-adjust din tayo sa kanila, hanggang reaction lang naman tayo. Sila ang nagbibigay ng stimulus sa ating reaction (So why not me? What we are doing is purely reaction. They change, we also change. It’s impossible for us not to change strategy, it would be unfair to us if we don’t change it, right? They keep on changing. So we adjust to them. We are just reacting. They are the ones giving stimulus to our reaction),” the Mindanaoan lawmaker explained.
As a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Dela Rosa said he is used to planning different strategies in dealing with any crisis as part of his survival.
“Hindi pupwedeng magiging fixed tayo (We can’t adopt a fixed stance). Otherwise, sitting ducks tayo kapag tayo’y fixed ang ating posisyon (we would all just be sitting ducks if our views are fixed),” he pointed out.
“Sana maintindihan ninyo (I hope you understand). I have to survive. I have to survive all these trials that are thrown before us,” he said.
“Kailangang kung ganito katuso ang gobyerno na kaharap mo, kailangang marunong ka rin mag-adjust (If this is how cunning this government is, we need to learn how to adjust),” he stressed.