Bato won’t take lawmaker’s training at ‘anti-military’ UP

Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief and winning senatorial candidate Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said he was willing to take courses on crafting laws but balked at having them at the University of the Philippines.

According to a report by Jam Sisante-Cayco in GMA's 24 Oras on Wednesday, Dela Rosa said he would not consider enrolling in UP, where he was booed during a senatorial debate.

"Alanganin ako diyan kasi k'wan 'yan, mga anti-military, anti-police 'yung mga tao diyan eh. Hanap na lang ako ng ibang paaralan kung saan ako pwedeng matuto," Dela Rosa said.

UP National Center for Public Administration and Governance dean Fe Mendoza on Wednesday said in a Balitanghali interview that Dela Rosa was welcome to take courses at the institution.

"Marami kaming training programs sa national. Meron kaming mga executive courses on policy-making. Ngayon nga, meron na kaming nakahanda para sa 18th Congress kasi palagi naming ginagawa nito at so meron na kaming programa na nakahain para sa House [of Representatives]," Mendoza said.

"Ngayon sa Senate naman, kung gusto ni senator-elect Bato Dela Rosa na magkaroon ng training, welcome siya," she added.He also answered critics who pointed out that he should not treat the Senate as an on-the-job training ground.

As regards criticisms that he was only studying legislation now that he was expected to win the elections, Dela Rosa said, "I will prove them wrong. Ang pagiging senador naman hindi naman 'to pagalingan ng English."

Dela Rosa received a master's degree in public administration and a doctor's degree in development administration from the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City.

On Tuesday, he admitted that he still needed training to learn the process of lawmaking.

Dela Rosa was a former chief of the Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson and Dela Rosa's ticket mate Francis Tolentino said he would make sure that the "check and balance" principle will be maintained between the executive and legislative branches of the government should he enter the Senate.

"Ipapaabot natin sa Pangulo na ito po 'yung hangganan ng Saligang Batas, ipaparating natin 'yung checks and balances, 'yung Senado nagtatrabaho naman 'yan as an institution. Hindi naman po individual senators, siguro 'yun ang dapat igalang at ma-maintain sa 18th Congress.".

He acknowledged that President Rodrigo Duterte's endorsement was a great boost in his candidacy the midterm elections.

Tolentino's senatorial bid in 2016 did not prosper after he was dislodged from the 12th place by Senator Leila De Lima. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News