MANILA – Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go have both denied the allegations hurled against them by Police Colonel Jovie Espenido in relation to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
According to Dela Rosa, he told Espenido to neutralize the illegal drug operations in Albuera, Leyte but he never ordered him to kill drug suspects.
“I-neutralize ang drugs? O? Anong masama pala nito kung i-neutralize ang drugs? We have to neutralize the drug problem, hindi ba? Bakit, sinabi ko bang patayin ‘yung tao? Wala naman akong sinabing patayin ‘yung tao,” Dela Rosa said.
“Kaya ka ina-assign diyan para trabahuhin mo ‘yung droga. Wala man akong sinabing: ‘Ina-assign kita diyan para patayin mo lahat ng mga adik diyan, lahat ng mga pusher diyan, patayin mo.’ Wala man akong sinabing gano’n, ‘di ba?” he added.
Espenido, during his appearance before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, said Dela Rosa had ordered him to “get rid of” or kill illegal drug users in Leyte.
Go, for his part, denied Espenido’s claims that he handled money earned from Philippine offshore gaming operators, which was being used to reward police officers who implemented the Duterte administration’s anti-drug operations.
“Si Espenido na mismo ang umamin noong hearing sa House of Representatives na wala siyang direktang impormasyon o ebidensya na makapagsasabi na may kaugnayan ako sa anumang POGO-drug war links. In other words, hearsay lamang ang isinaad niya kaya nakapagtataka kung bakit naging parte pa ng kanyang affidavit ang aking pangalan,” said Go.
Go, who previously worked as Special Assistant to President Duterte, said he never handled any funds related to the drug war when he was still working for the former Chief Executive.
“Huwag na sana nilang piliting iugnay sa akin ang mga bagay na wala namang katotohanan. Malisyoso ito at paninirang puri,” Go said./PN
