Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that he’s willing to train incoming Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in lawmaking.
According to Lacson, Dela Rosa doesn’t need to worry about looking for “seminars” because the Senate will provide all the needs of the neophyte senators like what happened to him in 2001 when he was first elected as a lawmaker.
“We will be meeting with the new members and give them some tips or lectures as was done to my batch in 2001,” Lacson said.
Lacson, however, said that Dela Rosa whom he considered as his underclass because the newest Senator from Mindanao would experience another period of plebehood.
“Bato need not worry. He will undergo another period of plebehood under my supervision since we are both in the majority bloc,” Lacson said.
Lacson graduated at the Philippine Military Academy in 1968 while Bato belongs to Class 1986, both of them became the leader of Philippine National Police (PNP).
Senate President Vicente Sotto III also confirmed that they indeed provide training for new senators.
“The Secretariat will also conduct an orientation and training on the Senate Legislative process to the staff of the senators as soon as they are hired,” Sotto said.
Senator Koko Pimentel also confirmed that Dela Rosa called him, asking for guidance.
“Yes, tumawag nga siya sa akin. Meron namang briefing for new senators. Lahat dumadaan diyan except ako,” he said.
Bato received criticisms on social media after he admitted that he’s not knowledgable in making laws, asking if it’s possible for him to learn lawmaking by looking for seminars.
“Ewan ko kung meron bang seminar diyan, o ano bang training diyan para matutunan ko yung paano gawin ‘yung batas. Ano bang trabaho namin diyan sa Senado? Kung merong ganon, I’ll take that opportunity na para matuto ako,” Dela Rosa said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
However, Dela Rosa also received praise from his supporters, saying that the incoming Senator showed his honesty and weakness, which some politicians cannot show.