Senate President Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero (File photo from JOSEPH VIDAL / Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� For Senate President Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, it will be better if Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa will not lead the investigation on the previous administration鈥檚 drug war to avoid allegations of partiality.
Dela Rosa, the chief of police during former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 term, earlier expressed plans to lead the probe.
He is now the head of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.
搁贰础顿:听Senate committee of the whole probe into Duterte鈥檚 drug war sought
This view was countered by Sen. Risa Hontiveros as she sought for a Senate committee of the whole that will probe Duterte鈥檚 bloody war on drugs instead.
鈥淗aharapin namin 鈥榶an sa mga susunod na araw. Kukunsultahin ko ang ibang miyembro. Pero nakausap ko na si Sen. Bato kaugnay nyan,鈥� Escudero said in a chance interview in Sorsogon City on Thursday.
(We will face that in the coming days. I will consult with the other members. But I have already spoken to Sen. Bato regarding that.)
鈥淎ng sinabi ko sa kanya, ano mang imbestigasyon na nais nya patungkol sa kanya mismo at kay Sen. Go, mas maganda siguro kung hindi sila mismo ang manguna ng komiteng yun para walang alegasyon na ito ay personal at hindi impartial at hindi fair,鈥� the Senate leader told reporters.
(I told him that for any investigation involving him and Sen. Go, it might be better if they do not lead that committee themselves so there won鈥檛 be any allegations that it is personal, biased or unfair.)
He added that while a Senate committee of the whole is an option, he is also considering other committees to handle the investigation.
鈥淐ommittee of the whole, option yun, pero ang tinitingnan ko rin ay iba pang komite na pwedeng mag-handle nito maliban sa komite ni Senator Bato,鈥� he said.
(The committee of the whole is an option, but I am also considering other committees that can handle this, aside from Senator Bato鈥檚 committee.)
鈥淪iyempre may karapatan siya at bahagi siya doon sa pagtalakay at discuss ng bagay na 鈥榶un,鈥� he also said.
(Of course, he has the right to be involved and he is part of the discussion on that matter.)
READ: Bong Go wants Senate to probe Duterte admin鈥檚 drug war
Dela Rosa鈥檚 role in the Philippine National Police got him included among the Duterte administration officials accused of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.
The charges were filed by the families of drug war victims.
Meanwhile, Go, who is a former aide to Duterte, mulls a resolution to kickstart the Senate investigation into the drug war.