'Bato' urged not to lead drug war probe

Senate President Francis Escudero sees it would be better for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa not to preside over any investigation involving him and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go to avoid allegations of biases and partiality.

In an ambush interview in Sorsogon City on Thursday, Escudero said he already talked to Dela Rosa on the matter.

“We will face that in the coming days, I will consult other members, although I already spoke with Senator Bato and I told him that for any investigation about him and Senator Go, it's better that they wouldn't lead that committee so there would be no allegation that it is personal, impartial and unfair,” said Escudero.

In a radio interview on Thursday, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the Committee of the Whole in the upper chamber should handle the inquiry against former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“I will propose to the Senate leadership to have a Senate Committee of the Whole where the entire Senate will investigate the war on drugs of the previous administration," said Hontiveros.

Given that Dela Rosa and Go are closest allies of Duterte, Hontivero stressed it would be a better option that the Senate Committee of the Whole, presided over by the Senate president, to conduct the probe.

Go and Dela Rosa earlier expressed their intent to file a resolution to parallel the ongoing investigation by the House Quad Committee on the alleged extra-judicial killings that happened during the implementation of the previous administration’s drug war campaign.