Acop criticizes dela Rosa's accusations against MPs

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop on Sunday condemned Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s allegations against members of the House of Representatives, calling the senator a “true opportunist.”

Dela Rosa had told lawmakers they were “unprincipled” and “opportunistic” for criticizing former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, despite previously supporting him.

“If anyone is a true opportunist, it is Senator dela Rosa, who shamelessly exploited his ties to the former president to rise from PNP (Philippine National Police) chief to senator and who waged a bloody war on drugs that targeted the powerless and protected the powerful,” Acop said in a statement on Sunday.

Acop also called Dela Rosa the former president's “loyal lapdog” because the senator was more focused on “his own career” than on “justice.”

“Don't act like a bloodhound of the previous government. The interests of the country and the general welfare of the people come first,” Acop told dela Rosa.

“I ran and won as a congressman on my own merits, not because I clung to anyone's coattails. My job is to uncover the truth and make sure those responsible are held accountable, no matter who is involved,” he added.

Acop heads the joint four-party committee investigating the possible connection of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) to illegal drug trafficking, drug-related extrajudicial killings and other crimes.

During the committee's first joint hearing, former Customs Intelligence official Jimmy Guban testified that Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte's husband Manases Carpio, and the former president's then-economic adviser Michael Yang allegedly smuggled 11 million pesos (about 12.5 million euros) worth of shabu in 2018.

Acop criticized dela Rosa for failing to disclose such information in the Senate drug hearing.

“Senator dela Rosa's so-called investigations were a farce. Despite his position, he deliberately ignored the involvement of people close to the former president. Who was he protecting?” Acop said.

“Senator Dela Rosa's loyalty lies not in the truth but in protecting his own interests and those of his political benefactors,” he added.

The Antipolo lawmaker also asked dela Rosa to name the lawmakers he accused of “unprincipledness” and “opportunism.”

“We are simply doing our duty. There is no reason to fear the Quad Committee unless there is something to hide. It is becoming too obvious that Senator Dela Rosa is afraid,” Acop said.

“We are here to serve the Filipino people, not to be pawns in any political game. Unlike Senator Dela Rosa, our focus is on the truth and we will not be deterred by threats or accusations,” he added.

GMA News Online had reached out to dela Rosa and his representatives for comment, but no response was received at the time of publication. — DVM, GMA Integrated News