Alan Cayetano mum on Bato's whereabouts: 'Let me verify it'
At A Glance
- Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday, May 14 said he has yet to verify reports that Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has already left the premises of the Upper Chamber.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday, May 14 said he has yet to verify reports that Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has already left the premises of the Upper Chamber.
In an ambush interview at the Senate, Cayetano said he has yet to wait for the official report from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on the matter.
“We will be fully transparent with you. I’m waiting for the report. Ka-text ko si Secretary (Jonvic) Remulla. Give me maybe two hours, then we will give you a full briefing,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano said he is waiting for summary report on the chaos that ensued at the Senate on Wednesday evening, the Senate’s action on the Articles of the Impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, “and then, other matters.”
When asked to confirm if Dela Rosa is already outside the Senate: Cayetano replied: “Let me verify it.”
“I just got here. I'm just getting all of the reports from 10 different people. I cannot answer your question if I do not know. ‘Di ba? So I only have the information na dala ko from traveling here from the house to here. It was a terrible night. I don't have all that information yet. Let me verify it. What you heard, yun din narinig ko (that’s also what I heard),” he said.
When asked about Palace Press Officer Claire Castro’s claim that it was Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca who first fired a warning shot to a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agent, who was at the premises of the Government Service Insurance System where the Senate is located, Cayetano said “it’s the same thing I heard.”
“So, I'm getting all the official reports in a few minutes. Give me a few minutes, balikan ko yan,” he said.
According to Castro, it was Aplasca who first fired the warning shot and after this, the NBI agent allegedly fired back.
Castro gave this information during a briefing at Malacañang, a day after the chaos that ensued at the Senate.