Former President Rodrigo Duterte is not prying on political issues concerning his daughter, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, said Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa.
"Hindi naman nakikialam si Pangulong Duterte, 'no, pagdating sa gano'ng mga bagay. Hindi kami nakapag-usap tungkol diyan. Hindi siya nakikialam (President Duterte is not nosy when it comes to such thing. We have not talked about that. He is not interfering)," Dela Rosa said in a radio interview Sunday night.
Earlier this week, some members of the House of Representatives eyeing realigning the confidential and intelligence funds of some civilian agencies, including the Department of Education and Office of the Vice President, to augment budgets of the intelligence and security forces tasked to resolve the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Dela Rosa emphasized that the former President respects the separation of the powers between the executive and legislative bodies.
"The power of the purse solely belongs to the Congress. He never intervened even when he was the President, he respects the separation of powers of the executive and legislative branches of government," he said.
"On a personal note, wala siyang ginawang tawag, wala siyang ginawang pagbanggit at wala kaming ginawang pag-uusap patungkol diyan (On a personal note, he did not make any calls, he did not mention it and we did not talk about that matter," he added.
Dela Rosa was asked if the Senate would do the same plan to realign the civilian intelligence and confidential funds.
He replied: "I can't speak for and on behalf of my colleagues 'no? The Senate is composed of 24 republics. May kanya-kanyang desisyon 'yan, baka mamaya magkakamali ako sa aking forecast kasi pwedeng magbago, pwedeng magbago 'yung isip ng isang senador pagdating sa botohan (They have their own decisions, maybe later I could make mistake in my forecast because it could change, a senator could always change his mind when voting time comes)."
Dela Rosa said the chamber's decision will always come out from the plenary session's result.
"Hindi talaga ako makapagbigay sa'yo ng fearless forecast. Wala akong nakikita pa na magiging desisyon collectively ng ating Senado. So hintayin na lang natin (I couldn't give you a fearless forecast right now. I still couldn't see the collective decision in the Senate. So let's just wait)," he stressed.
As an ally to Dutertes, Dela Rosa sees the questioning of the OVP and DepEd's CIF serves as "clear politicking" by the opposition.
"So that's… klarong pamumulitika 'yan. Hindi naman lumabas 'yang issue na 'yan noon noong ang Vice President ay miyembro ng oposisyon (That's a clear politicking. It does not came when the previous vice president was a member of the opposition). They were mum about that tackling of confidential and intelligence fund," he said.
Dela Rosa pointed out that the issue came with the opposition's "aggressiveness" to downplay the possibility of Sara's running as president in the next national elections.
"Most likely pulitilka. May halong pulitika at 'yun nga, meron din namang katuturan 'yung mga sinasabi nila pero 'yun nga, makikita mo 'yung aggressiveness ay masasabi mo talaga may pamumulitika," he said.
The OVP has been in the limelight after the Commission on Audit reported that it has spent the P125 million CIF in just 11 days.
Dela Rosa defended Sara noting that the COA's report was only an observation and did not explicitly state that the OVP used its CIF in corruption.
"Hindi naman sinabi ng COA na 'yan ay corruption. That was an observation of COA na naubos (that it was exhausted) within that period of time. So is there a violation?" Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa challenged Sara's "detractors" to come out with evidence over the allegation that OVP and DepEd, under the vice president's leadership, had utilized their CIF into graft and corruption.
"Maghanap sila ng ebidensya na ito'y ibinulsa para siguruhin natin na 'yung mga taong kurap ay hindi dapat manatili sa gobyerno. Pero kung ito'y ginamit sa tamang paraan (Find evidence that it was pocketed to make sure that corrupt individuals won't last in the government. But if it is used appropriately), then my God, that's Government Appropriations Act," he said.