Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa 鈥� SENATE PRIB / file photo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Long-time Duterte ally Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa said Vice President Sara Duterte was 鈥渨illing鈥� to face the National Bureau of Investigation鈥檚 (NBI) probe.
The bureau is investigating her remarks about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Dela Rosa鈥檚 statement came as Duterte failed to appear before the bureau on Friday, Nov. 29, in response to its subpoena regarding her statements.
She previously said she instructed a person to kill Marcos, his wife, and the House Speaker if she were assassinated.
READ: VP Sara Duterte no show at NBI, asks for rescheduling
In a chance interview with reporters at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) on Friday, dela Rosa said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 her option to go there. Kung ayaw nya, then sya na bahala dyan.鈥�
鈥淏ut still, the NBI can go to her office instead to conduct their investigation, 鈥榙i ba? Pwede namang puntahan ng NBI. Hindi naman sila pinipigilang pumunta sa Office of the Vice President (OVP) to conduct their investigation,鈥� he suggested.
When asked if he was in contact with the vice president in light of her expected Friday appearance before the NBI, dela Rosa said he had no recent conversations with Duterte.
The senator said, 鈥淪he鈥檚 willing naman to face the investigation. In fact, nagpadala nga sya ng lawyer doon, 鈥榙i ba? Sa NBI.鈥�
The senator was again at the VMMC, where OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez and disbursement officer Gina Acosta were confined.
READ: 2 OVP aides now under close monitoring 鈥� Veterans hospital
Dela Rosa said he was also admitted to the hospital for 鈥渁 viral infection, coughs, and cold.鈥�
He previously joined Duterte to accompany Lopez while the chief of staff was still at the St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City last Saturday.
Lopez was brought to the government-run hospital early morning last Saturday, falling ill after the House of Representatives ordered to transfer her from its custodial facility to the Correctional Institution for Women.
She was transferred to SLMC but returned to VMMC by Saturday afternoon.
Congress detained the OVP official at the Batasang Pambansa Complex after being cited for contempt during the lawmakers鈥� inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds by the OVP and the Department of Education.
The House extended her detention until Saturday, November 30.