Bato on Duterte's watchlist claim vs. Marcos: 'Di ko alam yan'

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Wednesday denied having any knowledge about President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. being on the drug watchlist, as claimed by former President Rodrigo Duterte.  

Dela Rosa emphasized that the alleged watchlist was said to be from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and not the Philippine National Police (PNP), which he headed during the Duterte administration.

“No idea ako. Hindi ko sinabing hindi ko nakita, basta 'di ko alam yan," Dela Rosa said.

(I have no idea. I did not say I did not see it. All I can say is that I don’t know anything about it.)

"Kung PDEA list yan, PDEA ang tanungin nyo. Ang sabi PDEA list, so doon kayo sa PDEA magtanong [at] wag sa PNP, di ba?” he added.

(If it’s a PDEA list, then ask PDEA. It was said to be a PDEA list. Don't ask the PNP.)

PDEA said on Monday that Marcos was never included in their drug watchlist.

"The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) categorically states that President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr. is not in its watch list, contrary to the statement of former President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming that 'when he was the Mayor of Davao, he was shown evidence by PDEA that in the list, the name of the president was there,'" the agency said in a statement.

Dela Rosa also seemed to have no idea about Duterte's statements on a supposed "list" during his time as Davao City mayor.

“Sinabi ba nya [it was] when I was mayor of Davao City? Mayor siya [at] ako ang City Director? Wala naman akong pakialam sa ibang tao [at] sa ibang lugar, so hindi ko alam yun,” Dela Rosa said.

(Did he say it was when I was mayor of Davao City? He’s the mayor and I am the City Director? I didn’t care about other people and other places, so I don’t know about that.)

Marcos laughed off Duterte's accusations on Monday and blamed it on fentanyl. 

"I think it’s the fentanyl... It is highly addictive and it has very serious side effects. And PRRD [President Rodrigo D. Duterte] has been taking the drug for a very long time now," Marcos told reporters.

Duterte, meanwhile, questioned PDEA's denial and said that he would release the watch list to the public when he gets his hands on the said document. 

"Sabi mo ngayon, 'yung PDEA wala raw record. Itong mga PDEA, mga ugok 'to. Sino ba namang PDEA magbigay... 'Sir, ito yung record mo d'un sa narco," Duterte said.

"But anyway, hanapin ko 'yun. As soon as it is in my hands, I will release it," he added.

(You're now saying that the PDEA has no record. These PDEA are fools. Who among the PDEA will give a report... 'Sir, this is your record in the narco. But anyway, I will look for that. As soon as it is in my hands, I will release it.)

Duterte also dared Marcos to undergo a drug test to prove that he is not a drug user. 

"Set it in Luneta Park, magpakuha siya ng dugo doon [from] independent entity or doctor. Magpakuha rin ako, sige pati ako. Pakuha siya ng blood test," Duterte said in a press briefing in Davao City on Tuesday.

(I dare him to have his blood tested in Luneta Park by an independent entity or doctor. I will do the same.) —Jiselle Anne Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News