By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

“Wag nating pabayaan ang may mga masamang balak na paligtasin ang dapat na managot.”

As media coverage of last week’s array of developments within the Senate that culminated in a shooting incident on May 13 remains atop mainstream awareness, Malacañang continues to shed light on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s stance on this pressing national issue.

In a briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro outlined the position of the administration on information about the fiasco revolving around Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

This reflects the pronouncements made by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to the Supreme Court Sunday designating the erring lawmaker as a fugitive, prompting Castro to call for the citizenry’s vigilance on upholding the rule of law.

“Kung mayroong mga pagkukulang at may lumabag sa batas, mayroong nagtatakas or nagpapatakas, ay dapat lang din po tayong mga Pilipino ay maging mapanuri sa mga nagiging aksyon ng ating mga public servants.”

When asked about the Palace’s position on Senator Robin Padilla’s involvement in the reported ‘escape’ of Senator dela Rosa from the Senate premises despite the prevailing protective custody, Malacañang’s mouthpiece called on the former to live by the principles of an earlier statement prior to entering public office and apply it in dealing with the latter.

Hands-off

Castro, meanwhile, went on to share President Marcos Jr.’s reactions on these recent developments in the Senate, noting his disappointment upon finding out further details on what transpired in the night when the Senate shooting incident took place.

While the President remains dismayed by the Senate fiasco that dominated local headlines and is now gaining international attention, she stressed that the Executive branch remains adherent to the separation of powers and will not interfere with any processes undertaken by the embattled institution.

She added that the Chief Executive’s earlier stance on the whole debacle, as presented in a video message released shortly after the attack, may still change once the Supreme Court issues a final ruling on the fate of Senator dela Rosa.

Malacañang’s mouthpiece likewise reiterated an earlier statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which remains vigilant about the movements of the embattled lawmaker and is closely guarding all possible exit points in the country, warning that the former PNP chief will be apprehended should he attempt to leave the nation.

She called for the embattled lawmaker to face the music, “Mas maganda po na bilang dating PNP chief at alam naman po niya na may valid warrant of arrest na inissue ang ICC, at katulad ng sinasabi dati ni Senator Robin Padilla, ‘Kung walang kasalanan, lumabas.’”

Castro, moreover, declined to comment further on the nuances of the Senate fiasco, deferring the assessment of the unfortunate series of events for the media to make based on the reports made by some journalists and reporters.

But when asked about whether the whole conundrum can be considered an attack, Castro issued this bold statement to dismiss this speculation, “Senate siege? Was it under attack? It was not. The Senate was not under attack.”

“You can see that from the news, not only from the statements of the NBI and PNP—it was only the statement made by Senator Alan Cayetano. So as far as we are concerned, as far as the government is concerned, the Senate was never under attack.”

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