Latest news with #DelaRosa
Filipino Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Dela Rosa confirms leading push to junk Duterte impeachment case via Senate resolution
Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa admitted that his office is behind the draft resolution seeking to effectively dismiss the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, citing the limited time left in the 19th Congress. 'Galing 'yon sa office ko,' Dela Rosa told reporters in a chance interview, referring to the document making the rounds in the Senate. The senator said he is collaborating with colleagues who support the idea of bypassing a trial, though he declined to say how many are on board. At least two other senators have reportedly prepared similar drafts, which may be consolidated and formally filed by next week. 'Una 'yung akin,' he added. Dela Rosa's confirmation came after reporters noticed that one of his staffers' names appeared on the circulating resolution. He explained the draft builds on Senator Francis Tolentino's manifestation that the impeachment case should be 'functionally dismissed' if unresolved before Congress adjourns on June 30. According to the draft, since the Senate is set to receive and read the Articles of Impeachment on June 11 — the last session day of the 19th Congress — there would be no time left to hold a trial. The resolution also argues that the proceedings cannot be carried over to the next Congress. '[C]onsistent with the foregoing, the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte must necessarily be deemed DE FACTO DISMISSED,' the draft reads. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Imee Marcos confirmed seeing the draft. Estrada said he received a hard copy on June 2, the day the impeachment articles were originally set to be read. Marcos added that multiple versions are circulating: 'Maraming versions, lahat ay naghahanap ng pinakamabisa at pinaka naaayon sa batas na solusyon,' she said. 'Scrap of paper' without Senate action Senate President Chiz Escudero stressed that the resolution holds no legal weight unless filed, debated, and passed. 'Mere scrap of paper unless may mag-file niyan,' he said. The situation raises constitutional questions about whether the Senate can bypass its role as an impeachment court. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano called it a 'dilemma,' asking: 'If a majority says the trial won't go anywhere, who decides?' Other senators including Joel Villanueva, Bong Go, JV Ejercito, and Cynthia Villar denied seeing the resolution. Ejercito reiterated that holding an impeachment trial is the Senate's constitutional duty.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Old Duterte photo falsely shared as recent
"There, I'm sure Father Digong is happy that he finally saw Senator Bato at The Hague," reads part of a Tagalog-language Facebook post on May 25, 2025, using Duterte and Dela Rosa's popular nicknames. "It's nice to see him in good health," adds the post which includes a picture of the pair at a dinner table. Similar posts also surfaced on X, TikTok and YouTube. Duterte was arrested at Manila's international airport on March 11 and flown to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on the same day to face charges tied to his crackdown on drugs that killed thousands of mostly poor men (archived link). Despite being in detention, he was re-elected mayor of his family stronghold Davao city in a landslide vote. Communication has come sporadically and through surrogates, mainly his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte who has not announced any visit recently from Dela Rosa. There have also been no official reports as of June 2 that the senator, the main architect of Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, saw the detained former president (archived link). Comments on the posts suggest many users were misled. "Is this pic new? FPRRD is looking healthier," one user said, using Duterte's initials. Another wrote: "Must be nice to be imprisoned there." A reverse image search traced the circulating picture to Dela Rosa's Facebook post on December 7, 2022 (archived link). "We had a very serious one on one talk last night and our main topic was that he wanted to wish every Filipino a drug-free Christmas and a crime-free New Year," its caption reads. Duterte's black jacket, Dela Rosa's grey suit and the table match those seen in photos that former transportation secretary Art Tugade uploaded on Facebook on the same day (archived link). State-run broadcaster PTV and local newspaper The Philippine Star reported that Duterte and his former cabinet secretaries held a Christmas gathering in Taguig City on December 6, 2022 (archived here and here). Duterte remains in ICC detention as he awaits a confirmation of charges hearing on September 23 (archived link). AFP has previously fact-checked several other claims related to Duterte's arrest here.
AFP
4 days ago
- Politics
- AFP
Old Duterte photo falsely shared as recent
"There, I'm sure Father Digong is happy that he finally saw Senator Bato at The Hague," reads part of a Tagalog-language Facebook post on May 25, 2025, using Duterte and Dela Rosa's popular nicknames. "It's nice to see him in good health," adds the post which includes a picture of also on X, TikTok and YouTube. Image Screenshot of the false post taken June 2, 2025 Duterte was arrested at Manila's international airport on March 11 and flown to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on the same day to face charges tied to his crackdown on drugs that killed thousands of mostly poor men (archived link). Despite being in detention, he was re-elected mayor of his family stronghold Davao city in a landslide vote. Communication has come sporadically and through surrogates, mainly his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte who has not announced any visit recently from Dela Rosa. There have also been no official reports as of June 2 that the senator, the main architect of Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, saw the detained former president (archived link). Comments on the posts suggest many users were misled. "Is this pic new? FPRRD is looking healthier," one user said, using Duterte's initials. Another wrote: "Must be nice to be imprisoned there." A reverse image search traced the circulating picture to Dela Rosa's Facebook post on December 7, 2022 (archived link). "We had a very serious one on one talk last night and our main topic was that he wanted to wish every Filipino a drug-free Christmas and a crime-free New Year," its caption reads. Image Screenshot comparison of the false post (L) and Dela Rosa's 2022 photo Duterte's black jacket, Dela Rosa's grey suit and the table match those seen in photos that former transportation secretary Art Tugade uploaded on Facebook on the same day (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the false post (L) and photos from Tugade's Facebook post in 2022, with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP State-run broadcaster PTV and local newspaper The Philippine Star reported that Duterte and his former cabinet secretaries held a Christmas gathering in Taguig City on December 6, 2022 (archived here and here). Duterte remains in ICC detention as he awaits a confirmation of charges hearing on September 23 (archived link). AFP has previously fact-checked several other claims related to Duterte's arrest here.
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
ICC counsel to Bato: No testimonies in Duterte case forced
The International Criminal Court (ICC) does not force nor make testimonies for witnesses, and the procedure in taking testimonies is very transparent, an ICC-accredited lawyer said after Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa claimed that investigators are forcing former police officials to execute affidavits against him and detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. As reported on GMA's '24 Oras Weekend' on Sunday, ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti said that questions involving the investigation are under strict guidelines, with camera recordings always made available. Moreover, she added, important witnesses will have to personally give their testimony before the ICC, Conti's remarks come after Dela Rosa—the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief during Duterte's bloody campaign against illegal drugs—said ICC investigators are in the country to force former officials to execute affidavits. Dela Rosa was among the 12 candidates elected or re-elected to the Senate in the midterm elections where he ran under the Duterte-led PDP-Laban faction. He said he will launch an inquiry into the matter. Dela Rosa earlier tagged himself as the number two accused in the ICC case against Duterte, and questioned the arrest of the former President before the Supreme Court. The ICC has been investigating Duterte and other top officials of his administration for crimes against humanity over the alleged systematic drug war deaths in police operations. These deaths reached around 6,000 based on police records, but human rights groups contend that the deaths were as much as 30,000, including vigilante killings. Duterte, who repeatedly said he would accept full legal responsibility for the consequences of his campaign against illegal drugs, was brought to The Hague in The Netherlands earlier in March to be tried for crimes against humanity. One of his legal counsel, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, said Duterte is being 'illegally detained' and should be brought back to the Philippines 'as soon as possible.' — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Bato: ICC investigators in PH forcing ex-PNP execs to testify vs. me, Duterte
Reelected Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa said Friday that investigators from the International Criminal Court (ICC) are currently in the Philippines to force former officials of the Philippine National Police to execute an affidavit against him and detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. The lawmaker, who was the PNP chief during the implementation of the war on drugs, revealed this as he questioned the sincerity of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on his openness to reconciliation with the Duterte family. 'Kung sinsero talaga siya sa kanyang sinasabi, ang unang-una niyang gawin is palayasin niya 'yung mga ICC investigators na andiyan ngayon sa mga hotel diyan sa Pasay na nananakot sa mga retired na mga pulis na pinipilit nila mag-sign ng affidavit na ididiin na kami ni Pangulong Duterte, otherwise, sila daw ang ididiin, 'yung mga pulis na pinagtatawag nila,' Dela Rosa said. Dela Rosa, who won another term in the Senate under the Duterte-led PDP-Laban faction, said he will launch an inquiry into this matter. 'Magka-conduct kami ng hearing at 'yung mga tao na involved diyan, 'yung mga Pilipino na mga taksil sa ating soberanya ay mananagot 'yan,' the Mindanaoan senator said. 'Kilala namin 'yung mga tao na sangkot diyan na sige patawag ng mga pulis at pagdating doon sa hotel, tinatakot 'yung mga pulis natin…Kawawa nga ang mga pulis eh. The PNP should take care of its people,' the former PNP chief added. A retired PNP official himself, Dela Rosa also slammed the treatment of the retired PNP officials. 'Porke't retired na, powerless na, wala na sa organisasyon eh gaganunin na lang ninyo? Hindi ninyo na kino-consider 'yung kanyang serbisyo, 'yung buhay niya na kanyang dinedicate diyan sa Philippine National Police? Porke ngayong retired na, tataku-takutin na lang ninyo na kung hindi kayo mag-sign sa affidavit ay damay kayo sa kaso?' Dela Rosa quipped. He then questioned the Marcos administration's insistence that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC over the Philippines. 'Sabi nila walang jurisdiction pero ngayon ang daming mga pulis na pinapatawag do'n sa hotel diyan sa Pasay para kausapin ng mga investigator ng ICC. So anong ibig sabihin niyan?' Dela Rosa said. 'Walang sinseridad 'yan kung gano'n. Ang pinakaunang gawin ni Pangulong Marcos dapat, palayasin niya 'yan, i-deport niya 'yang mga ICC investigators na 'yan na andito ngayon na nananakot sa ating mga kapulisan na magtestigo! 'Yan ang dapat niyang gawin kung siya ay sinsero sa kanyang reconciliation na hinahangad,' he added. Dela Rosa, who earlier tagged himself as the number two accused in the ICC case against Duterte, already questioned the arrest of the former President before the Supreme Court. In their petition, Dela Rosa and Duterte challenged the administration's move to facilitate the arrest of the former President, as well as the jurisdiction of the ICC over the Philippines, considering that the country already withdrew from Rome Statute. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
