MANILA – Amid reports his visa got canceled, neophyte Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he has yet to receive an official communication from the United States government.
The former Philippine National Police chief said that he has not visited the United States in a while for fear of being denied entry.
“Hindi ko na lang tinry manood ng last Pacman fight kasi baka hindi nga ako papasukin at mapahiya lang ako. May tsismis na akong naririnig noon pa prior to the fight,” Dela Rosa said during an interview with CNN Philippines.
Based on a report by Politiko website, Dela Rosa’s US visa was cancelled since May 2019 with Asia Reassurance Initiative Act as basis for the cancellation due to his alleged involvement in the supposed extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III slammed the US for cancelling Dela Rosa’s US visa for believing in “fake news” that the latter was involved in extra judicial killings.
Sotto, in a radio interview on Saturday, challenged the US government to show proof that the drug suspects who died during the Duterte administration were victims of extrajudicial killings.
“Naniwala sila agad sa kuwentong kutsero. Pagbibintangan nila si Bato, eh ang ibang pagpatay nangyari umpisa pa lang ng campaign. Sila-sila nagpapatayan,” he said.
According to Sotto, the US government’s action, if confirmed, showed it believes unverified information about supposed extrajudicial killings.
“Hindi maganda kung totoo ‘yun kasi ‘di pa naman nila alam kung totoo ang EJK (Extra judicial killing). Pag-aralan muna nila,” he said./PN
