Bato denies Senate hearing meant to harass, suppress student activism

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Wednesday denied that the Senate hearing on missing students allegedly recruited by leftist organizations was harassment and meant to suppress student activism.

Dela Rosa, chairman of public order and dangerous drugs committee, said the accusation of the youth organizations has no basis.

“Their claim of harassment is not true as it runs contrary to the claims of the parents who are here voluntarily and have grown desperate because their pleas have not been heard by the youth organization,” Dela Rosa said in his opening statement.

“To say that this hearing is meant to suppress student activism is a mockery to the parents who exposed their selves publicly.  A parent can never be faulted for wanting to be with their children,” he added.

A former Philippine National Police chief, Dela Rosa said he only wanted to protect families, adding while the testimonies of the parents of missing students are not conclusive, their fears are not without basis.

“They do not want to see their children among those who fight the government and killed,” he said. —KBK, GMA News