Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he was happy he could now process his US visa but maintained he could live without it.
“Masaya, masaya [ako] dahil iyon nga, nalungkot tayo nung nawala, masaya na naman tayo ngayon kung ibabalik. Ibalik nila o hindi, alam naman natin na privilege lang ‘yan. We can live without that,” Dela Rosa said at a virtual forum.
The former PNP chief earlier said he a representative of the US Embassy in Manila called him and told him he could begin the process of restoring his visa.
“Nakatangap ako ng tawag, nagpakilala, taga US Embassy, di ko maalala kung anong date, ang sabi, ibalik, ayusin raw visa ko. ‘Di ko alam process na gagawin, re-apply siguro, kasi kinancel kasi dati kong visa, baka re-apply siguro,” Dela Rosa said.
“Tapusin ko muna itong COVID-19 pandemic bago ako pumunta sa US Embassy,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in February, began the process of Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) abrogation after Washington canceled the visa of Dela Rosa. The senator was the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief who led the administration’s war on drugs.
The termination of the VFA was supposed to take effect in August.
However, DFA Secretary announced June the Philippines suspended the VFA termination with the United States following the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The suspension, however, is only six months from June 1, and it would be “extendible by the Philippines for another six months.”
Also read: Bato dela Rosa: US embassy called to restore canceled visa
Dela Rosa, however, clarified that he did not seek the President Duterte’s help over his US visa problem and that he did not beg for the US government to restore his visa.
“Hind ko kinausap si President na i-work out na maibalik. Di ko diniscuss sa kanya,” Dela Rosa said.
“Saka conduct unbecoming naman on my part as a senator kung magmamakaawa ka sa kanila. Kung ayaw nila, huwag. Kung gusto nila ibalik, okay. Alam ko naman na privilege lang iyon,” Dela Rosa added.
The senator, however, admitted that he thanked Duterte upon learning that his US visa could be granted again.
“After nung sinabihan ako na ibabalik ang visa, nag text ako sa kanya, nagpasalamat ko sa kanya dahil ibabalik na ang aking visa,” Dela Rosa said.
