Pacquiao willing to share knowledge about Senate work to Dela Rosa

“”Kung mag-ask sila about sa alam ko sa proseso sa senado, kung ano ang alam kong mai-share ko sa kanila,” Pacquiao said in a press conference on Thursday, May 16. (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Senator Manny Pacquiao said he is willing to lend a hand if former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa will ask him to share his knowledge about Senate work.

“Kung mag-ask sila about sa alam ko sa proseso sa senado, kung ano ang alam kong mai-share ko sa kanila (If they ask me what I know about the process in the Senate, I will share to them whatever I know),” Pacquiao said in a press conference on Thursday, May 16.

The senator said this after Dela Rosa, in an interview with CNN Philippines on Tuesday, May 14, said he is planning to attend seminars or undergo training for him to learn how to craft laws if he wins a seat in the Senate, which prompted critics to jeer at him.

Pacquiao, however, came to the defense of the former top cop, saying the latter is ‘knowledgeable’ about the work of a senator.

“Ang ibig niya sigurong sabihin ‘yung proseso ng senado, ‘yung rules (Maybe, what he meant is the process in the Senate),” he explained.

“May alam ‘yan. Nagserbisyo na sa government ‘yan, na-experience niya na ilang taon na (He knows something. He already served in the government, he has experienced it for how many years), more than 30 years,” he added.

Based on the partial and unofficial count from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) as of 8:29 a.m. today, May 17, Dela Rosa is likely to secure a Senate seat as he ranks fifth in the “Magic 12.”

Although Dela Rosa did not want to take seminars at the University of the Philippines (UP) which he called “anti-military” and “anti-police,” the UP-National College of Public Administration (UP-NCPAG) said Dela Rosa is welcome to undergo training programs at their school.

The dean of Institute of Law of Far Eastern University (FEU), Mel Sta. Maria, also said he is willing to give a lecture to the senatorial candidate about rule of law and legislation “for free” if the latter is “serious” about it.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who was also a former PNP chief, meanwhile told Dela Rosa not to worry about the work in the upper chamber since incumbent senators “will be meeting with the new members and give them some tips or lectures as was done to my batch in 2001.”

“He will undergo another period of plebehood under my supervision since we are both in the majority bloc,” he added.