Antipolo solon blasts 'Bato'

Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop snapped back at Senator  Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, calling him the “real opportunist” and a “loyal lapdog” of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

This comes after the senator lambasted members of the House of Representatives, describing them as “unprincipled” and “opportunistic” for criticizing the Duterte administration’s war against drugs.

“If anyone is the real opportunist, it’s Sen. Dela Rosa, who shamelessly used his ties with the former president to rise from PNP chief to senator, leading a bloody drug war that targeted the powerless while shielding the powerful,” Acop said, adding that the lawmaker is Duterte’s loyal lapdog ever since, concentrating on his career instead of justice.

“Don’t act like a K9 of the previous administration. Prioritize the country’s interests and the general welfare of the people,” the Antipolo representative said.

“I ran and won as a congressman on my own merit, not by clinging to anyone’s coattails. My job is to uncover the truth and ensure accountability, no matter who is implicated,” he added.

Acop chairs the four House committees probing the relationships between Philippine offshore gaming operators, the illegal drug trade and extrajudicial killings linked to the Duterte administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign.