Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa stood firm in defending Vice President Sara Duterte as the Senate prepares to convene for her impeachment trial, reiterating his stance during a plenary session on June 9.
In a passionate speech, the senator criticized those pushing for the proceedings, asserting that many Filipinos—particularly in Visayas and Mindanao—oppose the trial. He said this sentiment was shared with him by voters during his successful campaign for re-election in the May 2025 midterm elections.
“Alam ko lahat ng tao sa Mindanao at Visayas, as I have observed during the campaign period, sabi nila, ‘Iboboto kita kung hindi ka magboto sa impeachment,’” he said.
Dela Rosa also pushed back against the repeated invocation of “taumbayan” or “the people” by proponents of the impeachment case. “Please, do not use the term ‘taumbayan’ palagi because ‘taumbayan’ is hindi lang kayo. There are always two sides of the coin,” he emphasized.
He further asked, “Wala bang value ‘yung mga taumbayan na nagsasabing ayaw namin ng impeachment?” expressing frustration over what he saw as the Senate favoring only one segment of public opinion.
However, a new nationwide survey by OCTA Research, also released on June 9, indicated that 78% of Filipinos support Vice President Duterte facing the impeachment trial, underscoring the widening divide in public sentiment.
