Weeping Bato dela Rosa turns out voting for Escudero as Senate president

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who was among the senators seen weeping during the resignation speech of former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, on Tuesday admitted that he signed the resolution seeking to install Senator Francis Escudero as the new Senate chief.

In a press conference, Dela Rosa said he was the last senator to sign the resolution and was only convinced to back Escudero's bid when the latter had already secured the support of the majority of the senators.

"Yes," Dela Rosa said as he admitted signing the document moments before the session started on Monday.

"Eventhough my signature was already insignificant. Lumapit sila sa akin after the battle has been won. Mayroon na silang 14 na pirma (They approached me after the battle has been won. They already have 14 signatures)," he said.

He said the senators were inside the office of Zubiri on Monday to discuss the leadership change.

At that time, Dela Rosa said he was "really contemplating seriously" to join the minority bloc. He tried to avoid talking to Escudero and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano—the key players in the Senate leadership change—by going to Senator Francis Tolentino's office, but they persuaded him to stay with the majority bloc.

Dela Rosa's decision to finally sign the resolution was not because of Escudero and Cayetano's persuasion, but the "covenant" that he forged with his PDP partymates Tolentino and Senator Bong Go.

He explained that under the pact, whenever they would vote on all matters, the decision of the majority of the three PDP members should be followed.

"In this case, ang nangyari is silang dalawa talaga nag-decide na sumuporta kay Senator Chiz Escudero. Ako ay naiwan... ayoko sana pero may usapan kami na obligadong sumama. So, 'yun pinirmahan ko 'yung resolution," he said.

(The two of them already decided to support Senator Chiz Escudero. I was left behind, I'm initially not inclined to join them but we have an agreement that's why i signed the resolution.)

Dela Rosa said he was planning to ask his fellow PDP members to consider his reasons if ever he will "renege" on their covenant, but he does not want to lose face before his allies. 

Explaining why he turned emotional during Zubiri's speech despite supporting Escudero's bid, Dela Rosa said he felt that he had failed to "win the war" for his Senate president.

"Kaya ako napaiyak dahil nga hindi naman sa sama ng loob pero nahiya ako sa kanya dahil hindi ko napanalo ang giyera para sa kanya," he said.

(I cried because I failed him, I failed to win the war for him.)

"Nu'ng sinaluduhan ako ni Migz, talagang hindi ko napigilan. Napaiyak ako dahil for me, being a good soldier, gusto kong sabihin kay Migz doon is, 'Sorry, boss, I failed to win the war for you,'" he added.

(When Migz gave me a salute, I was not able to control myself. I really cried because for me, being a good soldier, I wanted to tell Migz that, 'Sorry, boss, I failed to win the war for you.) 

Dela Rosa said Zubiri's task for him was to secure his PDP party-mates' support for his leadership.

"I am one of his trusted lieutenants. Ang kanyang misyon sa akin is talagang i-secure ang aking partido, iyong PDP na patuloy na mag-suporta sa kanya but still, as I have said, mayroon kaming usapan, kaming tatlo [sa PDP]," he said.

(My mission was to secure the support of my partymates but as I have said, we have an agreement, the three of us.)

"I am also heartbroken. My heart is really broken. He is a very good leader, Senator Zubiri. I love him very much. I respect him very much. He's a very good leader," he added.

Asked if he turned emotional because he is leading the Senate probe into the supposed leaked PDEA documents which was among the floated reasons why Zubiri was ousted, Dela Rosa said, "Kasama na rin iyon (That's one of the reasons)."

While he admitted feeling some guilt because the "PDEA leaks" hearing is being pointed out as the reason behind the changes in Senate leadership, Dela Rosa said he was told by Escudero that it was not a factor why they wanted to replace Zubiri.

"Tinanong ko ito kay Senator Chiz kung talaga bang iyan ang dahilan bakit kinudeta si Senator Migz... Sabi niya, 'No, wala iyan sa rason dito'," he shared.

(I asked Senator Chiz if that was one of the reasons why they pushed to replace Senator Migz, he said it was not.) 

Citing his conversation with Escudero, Dela Rosa said he was told that if the "PDEA leaks" probe was indeed the reason for Zubiri's ouster, he would have also been removed as chairperson of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

"'Kaya [kung] ang target namin ngayon na galit kami sa hearing na ginagawa mo, dapat tinanggal ka namin (If we were really angry with the hearing you are conducting, we should have removed you).' Sabi niya (he said), 'We need you there. You have the expertise. Please continue your job as the chairman of the committee,'" Dela Rosa recalled their conversation.

In a separate ambush interview, Zubiri said he was "dumbfounded" upon knowing that Dela Rosa, whom he saluted during his resignation speech for sticking by his side until the end, turned out to be supportive of Escudero's rein.

"I thought I've seen strange things in my political career, and this happens to be the strangest. Kung kahapon ako po ay heartbroken, ngayon po ako ay dumbfounded. Talagang hindi ko ma-gets, hindi ko talaga maisip, hindi ko ma-grasp ang pangyayaring 'yon," Zubiri sad.

(If yesterday I was heartbroken, today I was dumbfounded. I still can't get it, I can't comprehend what is happening.)

"At least alam niya na dinepensahan ko siya bilang isang chairman ng committee at dahil dyan, nagkaroon po ng sakripisyo, ako po ang sakripisyo d'yan, nawala po ako sa posisyon," he added.

(At least he knows that I defended him as a chairman of the committee and because of that some sacrifice has to be made and I got booted out.)

For Zubiri, this was "very surreal" and he is "in shock" but he wants to move on because in politics, "there [are] no permanent friends, only permanent interests."

He said he already talked to Dela Rosa and asked him to give him time to process what happened.

"Give me time. Niyakap mo pa 'yung asawa ko. Parang, wow. Bakit mo pa niyakap 'yung asawa ko (You hugged my wife, why did you have to hug my wife)," Zubiri said.

Asked if he felt betrayed, the resigned Senate president said, "Let the people decide."—AOL, GMA Integrated News