Bato on US visa cancellation: Did I order to kill drug suspects?
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa blasted the United States for being “very biased” if indeed his US visa has been canceled due to his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the country.
As former chief of the national police, Dela Rosa spearheaded the Duterte administration’s bloody war on illegal drugs.
“Granting that it’s true na ang (that the) basis ng (of) cancellation is ‘yung (the) involvement [in] EJK, well they are very biased, they are misinformed, they are misled by their informants,” he told reporters on Monday.
“Kayo mismo nandito man kayo sa Pilipinas, kayong media, sige nga, ako ba’y nag-encourage na patayin ‘yung mga drug suspects? Ako ba’y nag-utos na patayin? Ako ba’y nagco-cover up sa mga ginagawa na kalokohan ng ating kapulisan?” the senator asked.
(You, the media, right here in the Philippines, did I encourage to kill the drug suspects? did I order to kill? Did I cover up the wrongdoings of our policemen?)
Dela Rosa was responding to a reporter’s question that the basis of the cancellation of his US visa was his supposed role on EJKs.
While he has yet to inquire from the US embassy about the status of his visa, the senator said he has been hearing about the rumor even before it was reported over the weekend.
READ: Dela Rosa considering US trip to see if he would be denied entry
The senator admitted that he was dismayed by such reports.
“Sino bang masaya? Hindi ko na mabisita mga kapatid ko sa Amerika; mga pamangkin ko hindi ko na mabibisita. ‘Pag may laban si Sen. Pacquiao hindi na ako makakapanood dahil hindi na ako makapasok doon so masama ang loob ko talaga,” Dela Rosa said.
(Who’d be happy with it? I can no longer visit my siblings in America; I can no longer visit my nephews and nieces. I can no longer watch Senator [Manny] Pacquiao’s fights because I can no longer go there so I really feel bad about it.)
But Dela Rosa also recognized that the issuance of visa by any country is a privilege being given to a person, and not a right.
“Pribilihiyo na binigay nila na pwede tayong pumasok sa kanilang bansa, pasalamat tayo,” said the senator.
(It’s a privilege that they allow us to go to their country, let’s be thankful.)
“Kung ngayon ibabawal na hindi na ako makapasok, ok lang rin. Pasalamat din ako at least nakatikim na ako ng Amerika a couple of times already,” Dela Rosa added.
(If they will now ban me, it’s still okay. I’m still thankful that at least I experienced going to America a couple of times already)