NAGBIGAY si Senator Ronald “Bato dela Rosa ng kanyang paunang salita sa ginaganap na ‘Motu Propoio’ in aid of legislation, sa war on illegal drugs na pinamunuan ng Blue Ribbon Committee ngayong Oktubre 28, 2024.
“Mr. Chair, truth-telling needs no dressing up for the occasion. Telling the truth demands nothing more than just that–telling it, testifying to it. Lying, on the other hand, requires fabrication. Intricate, deliberate, elaborate planning. One lie is tied to a system, an entire web of other lies, in order for the story, the fabric, to hold together.
“Nitong nakaraang mga araw, Mr. Chair, ako’y tinanong kung ano raw ang mga ginagawa kong preparasyon para sa pagdinig natin ngayong araw na ito. Ang sagot ko po ay wala. Sapagkat ang pagsasabi ng totoo ay hindi humihingi ng anumang espesyal na paghahanda. Ang katotohanan, bali-baliktarin man; simula sa dulo o sa gitna, ay masasabi nang malaya sa kalooban.
“Sasabihin naman ng iba: “Gano’n naman pala, bakit hindi ka na lang umattend doon sa hearing ng House?” My position on this, too, has remained the same: I do not wish to be the first to break our tradition of inter-parliamentary courtesy. If our counterparts in the Lower House do not exercise inter-parliamentary courtesy, this humble representation does. But most importantly, I do not wish to be a “guest” of their gag show.
“Mr. President, kung ako ay makasarili lamang, kung ako ay suwapang na tao, unang pagtawag pa lang nila nandoon na ako to clear myself. But because I am a member of the Senate, I have to protect the tradition that is being observed by this institution. Kaya hintayin na lang nila, Mr. President, kapag hindi na ako senador, I will be there every day. Kung gusto pa nila, doon ako sa kanila tumira. Pero sa ngayon na ako ay senador pa, please naman, sana respetuhin nila iyong ating parliamentary courtesy.
“Ayaw kong maging precedent, Mr. President. Pagdating ng araw, in the future, lahat ng mga senador mabubuwisit sa katatawag ng kanilang pangalan kapag ang kanilang pangalan ay na-implicate sa investigation na kanilang ginagawa, ng other house, ay punta na lang ng punta doon at wala nang magawa na legislation.
“Kaya po ako naririto ngayon. Hindi lamang bilang isang Vice-Chairperson ng Komiteng ito, kundi bilang isang resource person. As the former PNP Chief during the Duterte Administration, I have been tagged multiple times as the “face” of the war on drugs — the same war on drugs openly supported by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and of course, supported by our people. Perhaps, I am one of the best persons to contribute to today’s discussion.
“I am here, Mr. Chair, to tell the truth, and as I do so, witness the web of lies come undone, one thread at a time.
“Today, I say: duty calls. My duty to the truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God. Daghang salamat, Mr. Chair.”
