Romer Butuyan 
KUNG may tapang si Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa na makibahagi sa pagpapatalsik kay dating Senate President Vicente Sotto III, dapat ganun din ang antas ng kanyang tapang personal na lumahok bilang senator-judge sa impeachment trial laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ito ang hamon ni Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, na tumatayong tagapagsalita ng House prosecution panel at chairman ng House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms.
“Let us remember, physical presence is important in legislation. The rules to require physical presence of legislators were actually [intended] to inculcate among members the deep commitment to good work,” bungad ng ranking House official.
“In fact, just recently, remember when Senator Bato de la Rosa was initially, according to his narration, blocked from entering the Senate premises and he had to force himself in,” dugtong niya.
Giit ni Alonto Adiong, dapat din ipamalas ni Dela Rosa ang kahalintulad na paninindigan at kahandaan na harapin ang lahat ng banta para lamang makadalo sa VP Sara impeachment trial, tulad ng ginawa para patalsikin ang dating lider ng senado.
“There was a sort of, may nasugatan, Senator Bato dela Rosa, because he needed to really break into the cordon of securities precluding him from entering the premises and to me…That is the kind of commitment that we expect from the senators, to be able to participate in legislative matters, especially if they are deciding on a very important subject matter,” dagdag ng Mindanaoan solon.
Subalit hindi lamang umano si dela Rosa ang kailangan magpamalas ng nasabing katapangan kundi maging ang lahat ng mambabatas na totoong nais na gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa taumbayan at mandatong itinakda ng konstitusyon kasama na ang pagiging senator-judges.
Kaya naman sinabi ni Alonto Adiong na hindi katanggap-tanggap ang pagnanais ng ilang senador na payagan silang maging bahagi ng kanilang mga pagdinig o deliberasyon sa pamamagitan ng virtual o teleconference at makaboto ng online maging sa impeachment trial.
“Allowing virtual participation and online voting would lessen not only the commitment of one to perform his job, but the expectation of the people, those who have voted public officers, especially us in the legislature, the trust and confidence that they expect you to be there and to meticulously examine any proposals, whether this is on the issue of impeachment or just the ordinary legislative business,” tigas na sabi ni Adiong.
“People expect us to be there,” paggigiit pa niya.
Nauna rito, hinimok ni Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, isa ring sa naitalagang House trial spokesperson na dapat munang lumantad na si Dela Rosa at harapin ang warrant of arrest na ipinalabas laban sa kanyang International Criminal Court (ICC) bago gawin ang botohan ng Senado sa mosyon na virtual participation at online voting sa kanilang rules.
“So, dumadagdag po talaga ‘yung interpretation and even ‘yung clamor ng legal authorities na kailangan lang pong boluntaryong pagsuko ni Sen Bato. Kailangan mangyari ‘yun before any discussion of Senate rules and how it will affect his participation. And the processes na dapat ‘yung mga proseso na nakaabang sa kanya sa legal ay harapin na po muna niya,” sambit pa ng House Assistant Minority Leader.
