The Senate once again descended into heated exchanges on Monday, September 15, this time centering on the detention of former DPWH Bulacan 1st District Assistant Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez.
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa vented his frustration over Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s sharp rebuttal to criticisms from the minority bloc regarding his decision to allow Hernandez’s detention at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
“If I quote your answer Mr. President, ‘gimmick yan ng minority, hindi ba nila naiisip na baka si Martin Romualdez ang tuta ko? Makabintang sila poke pinagbigyan ko yung tricom eh tuta na ako, may ginawa ba akong iligal? Mamatay sila sa sama ng loob’,” dela Rosa said.
He added: “Bakit kailangan pang patayin kami sa sama ng loob. Ang Senado po, hindi po ito noontime TV show na puro gimmick ang bini-bring up dito.”
Sotto, however, dismissed the accusations, stressing that he merely acknowledged a call from House Speaker Martin Romualdez but did not follow his orders.
“Just because that I mentioned that Martin Romualdez called me does not mean na ako’y sumunod sa kanya,” Sotto said.
He explained further: “The request was coming from the House of Representatives and the request was to retain Hernandez in Congress, at dun ako hindi pumayag, is that being tuta?”
Before the heated exchange, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Rodante Marcoleta—who once chaired the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—also criticized Sotto for rejecting his recommendation to extend protection to Sarah and Curlee Discaya.
“Ako nga pwede akong magsabi na baka siya yung may pagkukulang, bakit niyo jina-judge eh? Sapagkat alam ko yung mga Discaya, kalaban ng pamangkin niya sa pulitika,” Marcoleta said, alluding to the 2025 midterm elections in which Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto faced off against Sarah Discaya.
Marcoleta argued that even if the Discasya couple failed to return funds allegedly pocketed from anomalous flood control projects, they should still be eligible for coverage under the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) due to threats to their lives.