Bato: I will have my head cut off if alleged EJKs are state-sponsored

Neophyte Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Friday stressed that he would have his head cut off once it is proven that the alleged extrajudicial killings amid the Philippine government's drug war are state-sponsored.

"I will have my head cut off if this is state-sponsored... you come here and cut my head off if this is state-sponsored, 'yung alleged EJKs na sinasabi ninyo," Dela Rosa said during a press briefing.

"Come down and cut my head... tapos ang usapan, ganon lang," he added.

Dela Rosa's remark came a day after the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution which seeks to probe the killings in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial war against illegal drugs.

For Malacañang, the Iceland-led resolution, which is supported by 17 other countries, was designed to embarrass the Philippines. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo even claimed that the resolution was "offensive" and "insulting" to the majority of Filipinos who support Duterte's "unique" leadership style.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa, former chief of the Philippine National Police, also pointed out that if the war on drugs is really not beneficial to the country, Filipinos would not have elected him as a lawmaker.

"Kung talagang masama ang war on drugs ng Pilipinas, bakit ninyo ako pinapanalo na senador? Ginawa ninyo akong number five. Ganon lang... Kung masama talaga ang ginagawa namin, if you claim that I am the face of the war on drugs, bakit ninyo ko pinapanalo?" Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa was the chief implementer of the campaign against illegal drugs when it started in 2016.

The senator believes that Filipino citizens know "best" compared to other countries that want to look into the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign.

"The Filipino people knows best compared to the Europeans. Mas alam ng Pilipino ang nangyayari sa Pilipinas kaysa sa mga Europeans na 'yan na gusto magimbestiga dito sa ating internal, domestic affairs," he said. — RSJ, GMA News