Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa | The Source
Investigations are set into allegations of abuse in a so-called religious cult in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.
The proposal to shut down POGOs in the country makes headway in the Senate, and
The government plans to file perjury complaints against two environmental activists who accused the military of abduction and coercion.
Pinky Webb speaks with Senate Committee on Public Order chairperson Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
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The proposal to shut down POGOs in the country makes headway in the Senate, and
The government plans to file perjury complaints against two environmental activists who accused the military of abduction and coercion.
Pinky Webb speaks with Senate Committee on Public Order chairperson Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/
Follow our social media pages:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Welcome to The Source, where we combine the headlines with in-depth conversations with
00:06 the newsmakers themselves.
00:08 I'm Pinky Webb.
00:09 Today on the program, investigations are set into allegations of abuse in a so-called religious
00:15 cult in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.
00:18 The proposal to shut down pogos in the country makes headway in the Senate.
00:23 And later, the government plans to file perjury complaints against two environmental activists
00:28 who accuse the military of abduction and coercion.
00:32 Senate Committee on Public Order Chairperson Ronald Bato de la Rosa joins us in the program.
00:49 The group reported to be a religious cult, victimizing over a thousand children in the
00:54 mountains of Socorro, Surigao del Norte, has denied allegations of sexual abuse.
00:59 The Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. confirms child marriages are occurring in the community,
01:05 but says the claims of rape were only made up because of political rivalry.
01:10 Despite this, authorities are looking into the allegations, and two lawmakers have sought
01:14 a Senate investigation regarding this.
01:17 Let's go straight to the source of the story.
01:20 We have Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Chairperson Bato de la Rosa.
01:27 Senator Bato, welcome to the source.
01:28 It's Pinky, sir.
01:29 Maraming salamat po sa inyong oras.
01:33 Good morning, Pinky, at maraming salamat din for inviting me.
01:36 You're welcome.
01:37 Madami po tayong pag-uusapan ngayon.
01:39 Unahin ko na po itong sa Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc.
01:43 Kayo po ay nakatanggap, hindi ho ba, ng sulat mula doon sa mayor ng Socorro na si mayor
01:50 Riza Timkang regarding itong sinasabing activities o pangyayari dito sa Socorro Bayanihan Services,
01:57 Inc. or SBSI.
01:58 Sir, ano yung laman ng sulat na ipinadala sa inyo?
02:03 Maraming laman.
02:05 Puro allegations of human rights violations.
02:11 Meron pang-allegation na meron dawng shabo laboratory sa loob at ito'y ginagorjahan ng
02:21 armadong kalalakihan.
02:23 Kaya this prompted me to file the resolution in aid of legislation.
02:32 Mag-investigate tayo in aid of legislation para maraman talaga natin yung katutuhanan
02:38 nito.
02:39 Ang totoo naman talaga, kawawa naman yung mga bata na hindi na nakapag-aaral, kinukulong
02:45 doon, pati hindi na matatanda, hindi pinapayagang lumabas sa kanilang area.
02:50 Those are obvious violations of human rights.
02:55 Lalo na yung alleged sexual abuse being committed by the leader of the cult.
03:02 It's too early to say it's a cult.
03:06 So, hindi na natin kung ano kalalupas sa investigation.
03:10 Itong grupo na ito, yung grupo na ito, yung sabi yung leader is engaged in illicit sex
03:20 or rape doon sa mga minor na magugustuhan niya, gusto niya ikasiping, isisiping niya.
03:28 So, we will get into the bottom of this in our investigation.
03:32 Senator Batol, when you received this letter, is this the first time that you heard about this?
03:36 O meron na ho kayong information in the past that may nangyayari hung supposed to be or
03:43 allegedly illegal activities dito sa SBSI?
03:47 Meron kong narinig noon, 2019 pa yun, na information na gusto ng governor na pa-investigahan nga.
04:01 Daw itong grupo na ito for the same offenses.
04:06 In passing lang yun, 2019. Hindi naman napaprosper.
04:10 Ngayon naman pumunta mismo yung mayor doon sa opisina ko.
04:16 Luckily, hindi kami nakapagharap dahil nga I was conducting a senate hearing.
04:22 Iniwan nalang niya yung letter niya doon sa aking opisina.
04:25 Noong nabasa ko yung letter, I was quite alarmed.
04:29 Sabi ko, action na natin ito. Otherwise, hindi po pwede pabayaan ito.
04:34 Hindi tayo pwede patulog-tulog sa ating mandato na mag-ibistiga ng mga ganito pangyayari,
04:41 lalo-lalo na we're the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.
04:46 So inaction na namin. Nagpile ako ng resolution.
04:49 At the same time, pumunta rin pala sila sa office ni Senator Rizal Tiberios.
04:54 At nagpatulong sila at nag-deliver si Senator Rizal niya privilege speech pertaining to this.
05:02 Medyo nagulantangahu yung publiko dahil dito sa naging privilege speech ni Senator Rizal.
05:09 Sir, there's a lot to talk about this. Sabi mo nga of course as chairman of Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.
05:15 Meron ko kasing sinasabing, dalawa muna. I want to concentrate on two things na later yung sinasabing sexual activities.
05:25 Yung sinasabing may siya bulab. I think that's what the mayor was telling you.
05:30 This is under your committee. Yung isa pa po, yung heavily armed men.
05:35 I bring this up sir because the NBI already said during a report yesterday na meron silang finial na nakaso.
05:45 Sorry, reklamo. They filed a complaint already before the prosecutor's office.
05:49 At ang sinabi po ni Attorney Magno ng NBI, meron daw allegedly, they have information na meron daw may mga armas.
05:57 Guarded nga daw itong lugar na to. And here's the thing sir, former police daw umano ang nagsasanay sa kanila.
06:06 Either former police officers na resigned or dismissed bilang dating PNP chief.
06:13 Sir, what are your thoughts regarding this? I know of course an investigation is in order though.
06:18 Yes, yan din ang information na nakarating sa office natin. Mga awol na police umalis sa servisyo dahil nga sumama na dyan sa grupo na yan.
06:31 And in fact, hindi lang. Pati yung education nila sa loob ata ay pinapangalagaan ng mga resigned teachers na umalis sa servisyo at dyan na nagkosentrate dyan sa grupo nila.
06:46 Yan yun dapat lalabas yan sa ating investigation.
06:52 There's another aspect here sir. Meron kasi supposed to be a Rosalina Taruc.
06:58 Pasensya na kayo kasi madaming characters and names that are being floated around and involved.
07:05 So in that letter I believe that the mayor sent you, there's supposed to be a Rosalina Taruc, supposed to be an official of SBSI who was killed in 2021.
07:16 Na yung kanyang daughter, former mayor Denia Florano, mysteriously died 8 days later.
07:25 So sa pagitan ng 8 days, yung nanay at yung anak ay namatay. Do you have any more information at sino hu ba sila?
07:35 Well, yun nga ang purpose ng investigation natin para malaman, the mystery surrounding the death of this mother and daughter. Dahil 8 days in between yung pagitan ng kanilang pagpanaw at there was no available police records pertaining to the death.
08:00 Allegedly, merong allegation dito yung mayor na yung misterioso daw. Baka this has something to do with the propagation of the court that they are implying to.
08:17 Yung sinabi po kanina, any mention sa sulat ni mayor doon sa other illegal activities gaya nung sinasabi nga pong allegedly rape, child abuse, trafficking and child marriage?
08:30 Na mention din sa inyo yan? Yes, nakarating sa atin yan. In fact, merong sila witnesses daw na dadalhin ngayong hearing natin na gaganapin this coming September 28, Thursday, next week.
08:48 Dadalhin doon ang mga complainants, mga witnesses nila. Merong kasama pa doon yung husband na allegedly lumayas doon sa grupo. Bumaba doon sa lowlands.
09:02 Pagbaba sa lowlands, naiwan yung asawa niya doon. Ito daw pilit na pinapariri ng leader ng grupo, another person sa loob ng grupo.
09:16 So I don't know paano nagiging practice nila ito. Yung husband lumayas, lumaba sa grupo, naiwan ang wife. Ngayon yung wife na naiwan doon,
09:29 ipilit na ipinapakasal doon sa another man na nandun sa loob ng grupo. So there seems to be some mystery.
09:39 There's a lot to look into and find out sir kung ano ang katotohanan dito at ano ang hindi.
09:47 What about this Sen. Aguila, Sen. Bato, ito yung sinasabing supposedly doon sa privileged speech ni Sen. Risa ay itinuturing na reincarnation ng Santo Niño.
10:02 Siya daw yung spiritual leader, bata pa hui ito, 22 years old if I'm not mistaken. Do you plan to invite him as well during the Senate hearing?
10:14 He's one of the central figure in this investigation and it was alleged in the letter ng mayor na itong bata na ito apparently ginagamit ng totoong leader ng grupo, yung isang lalaki at isang babae sa likuran nito.
10:35 I forgot the name. Pero itong bata daw ang ginamit para palabasin na mayroong divine powers para sumunod yung mga membro ng grupo.
10:51 Nakausap ko kahapon Sen. Bato that yung dalawang side, yung isa yung sa task force kapihan. Sinasabi nga niya na well yun yung mga allegations nga po nila and then the other side,
11:07 yung vice president naman po ng SBSI na pinabulanan lahat nitong allegations tungkol sa SBSI. And anasabi niya, sir, just to share the information with you Sen. Bato,
11:18 na itong si Sen. Aguila ay hindi daw itinuturing na leader, religious leader or reincarnation, kundi isa daw siyang composer.
11:28 Yun daw po ang kanyang papel doon sa SBSI. I'm sure those are the things you're going to find out during the hearing come September 28, Thursday.
11:41 Sen. Bato, we need to take a very short break. This is The Source on CNN Philippines. Please stay tuned.
11:48 You're watching The Source on CNN Philippines. I'm Pinky Webb. Our source today is, let's give him a little bit of time, Sen. Bato De La Rosa.
12:05 Ayun bumalik na si Sen. Nagjaqet. Sen. there's something very concerning during the hearing yesterday that is something that needs to be given much attention.
12:19 Lumabas po sa hearing ng DICT and CICC or yung CICC, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, na alam ko po, nagtanong kayo hinggil dito eh.
12:32 Number two daw ang Pilipinas sa online sexual abuse and exploitation of children or USAIC. Ano po? Atinanong, sino ba ang number one?
12:43 Ang number one daw po India. Eh alam naman po natin in terms of population, napakarami po ng tao sa India compared to the Philippines.
12:51 So parang pwede pa lumabas in terms of ratio, nangunguna ang Pilipinas.
12:55 Sir, what are the ways that the Senate can do to be able to combat this? Because I understand they're asking for additional budget to be able to help and prevent itong online exploitation of children sir.
13:11 Yan nga, magkakaroon talaga ito ng technological race between the criminal groups and the government. Kailangan talaga na pundo ito. Otherwise, mahirapan mag-regulate itong ating gobyerno sa mga ganitong class-k group.
13:40 How much funds do you think the Senate will be able to add sir sa DICT? Kasi alam ko, there was a point there sir that you were asking, pwede bang i-block yung mga platforms?
13:54 Nihoo ba tinanong nyo yun? Yung mga sites baka pwede i-block? At ang sinagot ata ho sa inyo ni Secretary Ivan Uy, kailangan daw ng enabling law?
14:06 Yes. Yung nga lang, tinanong ko muna sila. Kasi magiging useless man yung ating enabling law na gagawin kapag hindi nila kaya implement. So that is why tinanong ko muna sila.
14:19 When it comes to regulation, kaya ba nating i-regulate yung mga social media platforms. Just like Ice City, just like China, hindi basta-basta pasok yung platforms nila doon. Very much controlled by the government.
14:37 Dito sa Pilipinas lumalabas na tayo ang kino-control ng mga platforms na ito. It's the other way around. Dapat tayo ang goberno dito, tayo dapat mag-regulate sa kanila. Hindi sila masusunod, kundi tayo.
14:51 Kasi sabi ko, what if yung sinasabi ng Facebook, sinasabi niya na does not conform to community standards ay iba yung community standard ng ating goberno na i-set. So dapat tayo ang masusunod yung goberno natin.
15:11 So what can be done? Kailangan ba gumawa ang Kongreso ng enabling law?
15:16 Yan ang lumalabas ngayon, na kailangan ng enabling law. To start with, alam natin mayroon din... mayroon din ginagawa yung ating... kahit wala pang enabling law yan, may ginagawa yung ating mga autoridad pertaining to cybercrimes.
15:40 Pero yun nga, pagdating dito sa mga very powerful malalaking social media platforms, sila ang nag-set ng community standards na gustong sundin ng buong mundo.
16:01 So sabi ko, we are a government, we have to regulate these social media platforms. Tayo dapat ang mag-set ng community standards, yung goberno. The government is there to govern, the government should be there to regulate, di tayo ang i-regulate ng mga ibang entity."
16:22 I think it's important what you said Sen. Batona, tayo ang kinokontrol ng platforms instead of the other way around.
16:32 "Yes, totoo yan. Kasi na-observe natin ng PINKE, maraming mga sites, social media sites, na kinukusidira natin na they are really for nation-building. But tinikdown sila ng social media platform. Tinikdown sila.
16:56 Ito naman, mayroon din, of course, palaging sinasabi ang freedom of information, freedom of information na yan. Toot-tootoo yan. It should be exercised.
17:10 But the standards that should be set dapat manggagalin sa goberno. Mayroon diyan mga sites for nation destruction. Alam natin mga sites na yan talagang sumusuporta sa insurgency, sumusuporta sa mga armadong kalaban ng ating estado,
17:34 hindi naman natin takedown. So nakikita natin ngayon na social media platform, they are free to decide on their own free will.
17:45 Unlike, mayroon ang mag-decide, talagang government regulation ang masusunod."
17:52 The problem though here, Siguro, Senator Batoy, is that when it comes to online sexual exploitation, these are not your mainstream. Hindi naman po ito yung talagang madaling mahanap sa social media.
18:03 Medyo tagu po ito. Ilan ang nakaka-access nito. Kailangan po kasi doon mapunta yung intelligence work, whether it be the DICT or the CICC, para po matigil itong mga sites na ito para kahit pa pano matigil ang sexual online exploitation of children.
18:28 Kama ka Pinky. Aside from that, hindi lang naman yan, hindi ba talaga yung primary duty nila. It is the primary duty of the law enforcement community.
18:40 We have the NBI, we have the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group at the PNP, tumulong dito yung cybercrime capability ng intelligence service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
18:55 Ito sila mga law enforcement agencies, dapat i-empower natin sila ng gusto, suportahan natin sila para makahabol sila sa mga crimine na nangyayari in the cyberspace.
19:08 But are you committed sir?
19:10 Kailangan suporta.
19:11 Sir, are you committed to add funds sa DICT or the CICC for the implementation of such work to be able to combat online sexual exploitation on children?
19:27 Kayo huba nakikita nyo na kailangan at importante na dagdagan po ang kanilang budget?
19:32 Kailangan talaga, kailangan talaga madagdagan ang kanilang budget para magagamit nila, para dito sa pag-address ng mga crimine ito.
19:46 We really need help. We are here to support them.
19:50 Again, another short break. This is The Source on CNN Philippines. Please stay tuned.
19:55 [Music]
20:02 You're watching The Source on CNN Philippines. I'm Pinky Webb. Our source today is Senator Bato Dela Rosa.
20:09 Senator, meron pong dalawang police, two cops arrested and one civilian dito po sa Baco Orcavite.
20:16 Kahapon lang po ito na report. I'm not sure if you are privy to this.
20:20 But basically, the story is nakakakolekta daw sila ng halos 1.5 million a month mula sa Toda para daw hindi sila hulihin sakaling magviolate sila.
20:32 Nagumpisa ito February 2023, nahuli sila kahapon yung dalawang kotong cops na tinatawag nga at isang civilian.
20:39 Meron pong statement si chief, PNP chief Acorda. I'll have you listen to it and have you react to this story. Let's play that.
20:49 These individuals stand accused of collecting monthly payments known as payola from tricycle operators, drivers associations and other transport groups.
21:03 It is estimated that they amass around 1.5 billion per month with an average of 170,000 per transport group.
21:14 All right sir. Kotong cops, papaano ba ito? Does this merit a Senate investigation? Ang laki po ng kanilang nakukuha, 1.5 million sa isang buwan?
21:25 Hindi na kailangan ng Senate investigation yan. Dapat pinabahala dyan. Si Baco na nangagrito yan at pailan ng kaso.
21:35 Sige lang tayo investigate na investigate ng mga kalukuhan ng mga police na yan. Dapat talaga, actionan lang gusto yan.
21:45 Bilang dating PNP chief sir, sinasabi there are sa dami naman po, ano na ho ba ngayon? 120 strong PNP. There are obviously sinasabi naman bad eggs.
22:01 Bakit sa palagay ninyo ganito sila katapang na ganyang kalaking pera ang kaya nilang kunin mula sa mga transport groups?
22:13 Think about it sir, tricycle drivers and other transport groups bilang payola. Bakit sa inyong palagay ganyan sila katapang na para bang hindi sila mahuhuli?
22:25 Mahuhuli nga. Pingingin una, more or less 220,000. When I was the chief PNP, nasa 180 pa yan. Ngayon 220,000 na daw sila.
22:53 So talaga, sinasabi na palagi ang PNP. The bigger the organization, percentage-wise, dadami rin talaga yung eskalawag na hindi na babantayan.
23:09 But yung tanong mo kanina, bakit sila ganito ka-bracing? Unang-unang, ito nakikita ko talaga ng mga tao na nag-police, hindi para mag-service yo, kundi nag-police ito para magka-pera, para umaman.
23:29 So again babalik na naman tayo sa recruitment paano natin sila sasalain ng gusto na masiguro natin na itong tao na ito gusto pumasok sa PNP para mag-service yo, to serve and protect, hindi para umaman sa illegal na pamamaraan, sa panguwotong.
23:49 So talaga kinakailangan ang internal cleansing program ng PNP ay gagana at gagana. Ito naman nakita natin, mabuti ito inaction na nila at nahuli. So meaning gumagana ang internal cleansing program ng PNP ngayon.
24:04 So sana hindi sila huminto. Lahat dapat na reklamo pertaining to this. For all we know, hindi lang yan nangyayari sa Baco or Cavite. Baka yung ibang municipality pa, ibang siyudad pa may mga ganitong modus na ginagawa ang ating kapulisan.
24:23 Kasi habang tumatagal, hindi nasisita, hindi nasisit, parang nagiging normal sa kanila. Kahit na alam nila na illegal, since hindi sila nasisita, hindi nila huli, parang pakiramdam nila parang legal na yung ginagawa nila.
24:40 So it behoves upon the commanders ng police units to bantayan ang tao nila. Kagayaan ito, hindi dapat CIDG ang manghuli nito, dapat ang commander mismo ng station na ito.
24:57 Kung hindi siya naging kinamak sa kalukuhan ng kanyang tao, dapat siya humuli dito at hindi naabot sa CIDG. So the doctrine of command responsibility is very important. Kagayaan ito, dapat mananagot agad ang commander ng tao na ito. Bakit hinahiyaan na mamayagpag itong ganitong klase ng mga police.
25:25 I have a minute left. I wanted to ask you about the two activists Castro and Tamano. The army said they surrendered, hindi ba? The two activists say they were abducted. In a situation like this, of course there's still a lot of moving parts and a lot of proof from both sides.
25:41 Who do you, right now, who do you believe and how can we get to the bottom of this story, sir?
25:48 Well, ako hindi por ke nasa goberno ako, hindi por ke dati ako ng CPNP sabihin ko natin na nandito pala ako nakasayad sa goberno. Pero to be fair, kung gusto talaga natin malaman ang katotohanan kung sino nagsinungaling.
26:07 Ang dalawang bata na ito na nagsasalita, isa subject natin ito sa polygraph test, lie detector test ito, at saka itong armie at police na accordingly nakiklaim na sila nag-surrender, isa submit natin ang polygraph test at malaman natin kung sino nagsinungaling sa kanila.
26:29 Well, both sides are claiming to be saying the truth. The army naman ayaw umatras, sabi na talagang nag-surrender ito. Naisahan lang kami nito talaga dahil mga bata, mababait, kausap namin, titino, tapos talagang pagdating sa preschool biglang bumaligtad.
26:48 So apparently para lumalabas, sabi ng army, sabi ng goberno, parang may grand design itong kanilang pag-surrender at para gibaan ang goberno. Maraming approach sa ginagawa, pwede panggibaan ng goberno. But then again, to be fair, talaga nagsasabi sila toto, poly detector test natin kung sino nagsasabi na toto, army or itong dalawang bata.
27:17 Q: What is the value of that? Because definitely kung magkaroon ng counter charges one versus the other, polygraph test are not admitted in court, hindi ba?
27:32 "Yeah, hindi admitted in court but it helps. Malaking tulong yan. For us, malaman natin kung sino nagsinungaling. Whether or not it is admissible as evidence in court, hindi naman talaga natin gagamitin yan. Pero for our own consumption, para malaman natin kung sino nagsinungaling."
27:57 Q: Thank you, sir. Maraming salamat sa inyong oras. We'll get more updates especially next week pagka umpisa na yung hearing hinggil sa SBSI. Thank you for joining us, sir. "Thank you, Pinky. Maraming salamat at good morning sa ating lahat."
28:14 And thank you for joining us here on The Source. I'm Pinky Webb. You're watching CNN Philippines.
28:19 [Music]