24 ‘independent republics’

It is quite pitiful, if not painful to say the least, in hearing from Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa citing his excuse of not being a statesman in standing behind President Rodrigo Duterte in every issue against the latter’s administration. Sadly, even in his excuse, Dela Rosa is still not original but mouths the line of President Duterte of not being a statesman in fending off administration critics.

Dela Rosa echoed his sentiment after the Senate voted on plenary Senate Resolution 337 which sought to ask the Supreme Court (SC) render a ruling on the constitutional mandate of the Upper Chamber to ratify or abrogate international treaties and executive agreements. The erstwhile police chief-turned politician, Dela Rosa was one of the seven administration allies who cast abstention votes to Senate Resolution 337.

The six other Senators who abstained were, namely: Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Christopher “Bong” Go, Imee Marcos, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, and Cynthia Villar. Twelve others led by Senate president Vicente Sotto III, on the other hand, voted in favor of the resolution.

Outvoted, Dela Rosa complained that the principal reason in the passage of Senate Resolution 337 merely wants to stop President Duterte from the unilateral move to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States.

“I abstained my vote because as I see it personally we don’t need to ask the Supreme Court as to the limit of the power of the Senate because I really do not see any ambiguity on this in our Constitution,” Dela Rosa explained.

Without this time shedding a tear or two, Dela Rosa justified his vote, citing his belief that the Senate Resolution 337 is tantamount to interfering with the Chief Executive’s power as chief architect of the country’s foreign policy. Dela Rosa holds the view this violates the constitutional principle of the separation of powers between the Legislative branch of government and the Executive Department.

Swearing he has no “parochial mentality” neither is he thinking like a local politician, Dela Rosa declared: “Sorry, I am not statesman. I’m just an ordinary Senator. I am not statesman.”  But wasn't his US visa cancellation triggered the VFA abrogation?

 Dela Rosa rued the rest of the ruling majority at the Senate who are all supposedly supportive of the Duterte administration have abandoned the seven of them on this issue. “On the political side of it, majority against minority, so the majority should always prevail. But we were not able to get the majority vote. So meaning, we became now the minority at the Senate, no longer the majority,” Dela Rosa argued.

Since a number of the Duterte allies at the Senate are neophytes like him, Dela Rosa felt they were being marginalized while the opposition Senators who voted in favor of Senate Resolution 337 got a free ride in the apparent attempt to block President Duterte from abrogating the VFA.

Where does Dela Rosa’s dogged loyalty and subservient mentality come from? 

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1986, Dela Rosa once served as police chief during the watch of Mayor Duterte at Davao City Hall. When he assumed office at Malacanang, President Duterte named Dela Rosa as his first Director General of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Initially gaining popularity for leading an intensified campaign against criminality during the first few months of the Duterte administration, Dela Rosa subsequently earned the ire of human rights (HR) groups here and abroad. As PNP chief, Dela Rosa was held accountable for the bloodiest “Oplan Tokhang” that saw hundreds, if not thousands of illegal drug suspects allegedly mowed down in extrajudicial killings (EJKs). Ignoring HR complaints against the PNP chief, President Duterte later extended Dela Rosa’s tenure for three months when the latter reached the mandatory age of retirement in January 2018.

For standing squarely behind his Commander-in-chief while under fire for his “Tokhang” anti-drug war, Dela Rosa was again rewarded with subsequent appointment as Bureau of Corrections chief. He served as prisons chief until he decided to throw his hat in the Senate race. Dela Rosa won during the May 2019 elections by “19 million” votes he claimed after being one of the Duterte-backed Senate ticket who included fellow Senators Go, Marcos, Tolentino, and Villar.

But in the meantime, the issues on EJKs led to the filing of alleged crimes against humanity that named President Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. Accepting full responsibility for the results of the bloody anti-illegal drugs war of his administration, President Duterte ordered the country’s withdrawal from the ICC in May 2019. The Philippines is one of the signatory states in the ICC treaty.

The ICC is said to be a “court of last resort” where dictators and other people who cannot be brought to justice domestically can be placed under trial before this international body of court of justice. Despite this withdrawal, the ICC up to now maintains and claims jurisdiction over the case against President Duterte. However, in an unexpected turn of events, private complainant lawyer Jude Sabio formally asked last January the ICC to “thrash” and withdraw his case against President Duterte.

Incidentally, it was then permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) ambassador and now Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. who officially transmitted the notice of withdrawal of the Philippines from the ICC. Now serving as DFA Secretary, Locsin recently transmitted the official notice of President’s decision to abrogate the VFA before the US State Department.

As Senate president, Sotto tried to impress upon Dela Rosa that all of them work as a collegial body and that each of the 24 Senators has one vote only. Sotto underscored the fact that the Senate prides itself as an autonomous and independent institution.

And when it comes to voting on issues and bills, the Senate lives up to its reputation as the 24 “independent republics” as check and balance to the sitting President.