Representative Dan Fernandez and Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News; Press and Public Affairs Bureau/File

MANILA -- Senator Ronald dela Rosa on Wednesday fired back at House Quad Comm co-chair Dan Fernandez, who had accused him and Pol. Colonel Hector Grijaldo Jr. of "scripting" the latter's testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on the war on drugs.

Dela Rosa claimed that Fernandez and another Quadcom co-Chair, Bienvenido Abante, tried to coach Grijaldo into confirming former Police Colonel Royina Garma's claims about a reward system in the drug war.

READ: Cop claims lawmakers forced him to confirm drug war rewards system

"It takes a thief to know a thief. 'Di ba? Bilis niya nakapag-conclude noon na scripted 'yung 'yung affidavit ni Grijaldo dahil ginagawa siguro nila 'yan doon sa Quadcom," the senator said.

Dela Rosa hopes the Senate can protect Grijaldo. He sought protection from the committee during the hearing.

Subcommittee chair Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said it will be referred to the mother committee chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano.

"Sa akin lang, 'para alam mo na, pulis ka lang. Siguradong, siguradong, re-resbakan ka ng mga congressman na 'yan'. Ang sa akin lang naman, is naawa ko sa tao na nagsasabi at hindi na natiis 'yung ginawa sa kanya para naman mabigyan siya ng kaunting proteksyon. Whatever it is na ma-provide natin. Kasi yung witness na lumapit sa committee mo at nagsiwalat ng ganoon kabigat na mga testimoniya tapos hindi mo man lang mabigyan ng protection, then kawawa rin. Baka later on, wala na magsasabi na totoo sa atin dahil takot na reresbakan, dahil hindi natin kayang mag-provide sa kanila ng whatever protection na maibigay natin," he added.

Dela Rosa explained that Grijaldo himself did not request Senate protection.

"Hindi naman. Hindi naman siya nag-request. Ako lang, nakita ko lang. Nakita ko lang na pwede siyang resbakan o whatever  kung anong gagawin sa kanya," he explained.

The lawmaker did say that whether Grijaldo is subjected to retribution is the subject of interest among policemen.

"So, tignan natin kung anong gagawin sa kanya ito, kung reresebakan  siya ng husto. Makita natin 'yung totoong nature ng mga tao na 'yan kung anong gagawin lang kay Grijaldo. At mind you,  maraming opisyal ng pulis ay nagtitimpi lang yan sa mga ginagawa nila doon. At alam mo na, malungkot din yung mga kapulisan 'pag ginaganyan mo palagi yung mga tao nila." Dela Rosa said, adding there are policemen who are sympathetic to Grijaldo.

DELA ROSA MAINTAINS HE IS NEEDED IN SENATE PROBE

READ: Drug war critics question Go, Dela Rosa participation in Senate probe

Dela Rosa said the congressmen simply don't want the House Quadcom's findings to be challenged.

"Alam mo yung mga tao na nananawagan na mag-inhibit ako sa hearing na 'yun ay 'yung mga tao na ayaw lumabas ang katotohanan. 'Yung mga tao na gusto nilang ma-preserve kung ano yung sinabi doon sa Quadcom as pure gospel truth kasi ayaw nila na ma-debunk dito sa hearing ng Senate Committee o subcommittee o na Blue Ribbon Committee. Ayaw nila ma-debunk yung sinasabi doon. Kasi pagdating dito, I can tell you, that's how I confident I am," he said.

Dela Rosa maintained he will attend subsequent hearings of the Senate as a senator and as a resource person so the "truth can come out".

"Sino bang mas dapat imbitahin ninyo para magbigay ng punto de vista pagdating sa war on drugs, aside from President  Duterte, 'di ba ako? Because I was the main implementor of the war on drugs. So I have said it in the opening of the hearing na I am here as a member of the panel. At the same time, a resource person, you can interrogate me anytime you want. Sabi ko sa aking mga colleagues. So yun po ang purpose ko doon," he said.

"Mas mawawalan ako ng delikadesa kung hahayaan ko yung kasinungalingan ang magmangingibabaw sa mga pangyayaring ito.  Kailangan lumabas ang katotohanan. It will be a great disservice to the Filipino people, me as a sitting senator, na hayaan ko lang na yung kasiningulingan ang mangingibabaw. Kailangan lumabas ang katotohanan, he added.

DELA ROSA CLAIMS QUADCOMM HEARINGS HAVE 'SO MUCH LIES'

"Totoo dahil sobra nang ginagawa ng Quadcom. Ang dami na kasinungalingan na doon. Kaya nagpupumilit kami ni Senator Bong Go. Nag-request kami na mag-conduct tayo ng parallel investigation para ma-debunk 'yung kasinungalingan. Late na nga. Late na late," he said.

"Kung tutuusin kasi initially we didn't feel the importance of that dahil alam namin nakailang investigation na 'yan noon pa, way way back pa. How many years ago? Iniimbestigahan na yan. E ngayon nag-iimbestiga na naman sila. Ginawa nilang Quadcom. Ginawa nilang yung apat na committee dahil talaga directed 'yan towards President Duterte. So nakita ko na kailangan na talagang magkaroon ng parallel investigation para lalabas ang katotohanan. Ayun na nga, may mga lumalabas na nga at mayroon pang lalabas sa next hearing." Dela Rosa added.

The senator, meanwhile, is not worried that the Senate Panel's hearing may be used in the International Criminal Court (ICC), maintaining that while it can always watch the proceedings, it has no jurisdiction in the Philippines.

READ: 'Mga pahayag ni Duterte sa Senado maaaring magamit sa ICC'

Dela Rosa is not yet satisfied with the outcome of the subcommittee probe on Monday, noting he has yet to face off with former police colonel Royina Garma and Kerwin Espinosa who have made allegations against him before the House of Representatives.

"Hindi pa. Kasi hindi pa nagpakita yung mga resource person na nagdadawit sa akin. Hindi pa nagakita si Garma, si Kerwin Espinosa. Kailangan andyan sila para ma-satisfy ako," Dela Rosa said.

He also clarified that his only intention in summoning former Senator Leila de Lima's former driver Ronnie Dayan to the Senate is to shed light on claims that he ordered Dayan and Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido to pin down de Lima on drug related charges.

"I'm not trying to prove the guilt or innocence of De Lima or ipapahiya si De Lima. Kundi, ang akin dito is to prove if Kerwin Espinosa is lying or telling the truth." Dela Rosa said. "Ang role ni Ronnie Dayan, sabi kasi ni Espinosa at ni Espenido, na silang tatlo daw, binigyan ko ng instruction na mag-coordinate para i-pin down si De Lima. 'Yan, 'yan ang gusto kong establish. Gusto kong malaman yan kung totoo ba talaga yung sinabi nila."

He adds that he is ready to investigate the so-called links of Duterte's former adviser Michael Yang to illegal drugs in his committee in the Senate, though their own  investigation at the PNP showed otherwise.

"Yes. Covered ng committee ko, covered ng committee ko 'yan. So pwede natin siya i-patawag. Hanapin 'yan si Michael Yang kung nasaan siya para imbestigahan natin sa committee natin," Dela Rosa said. "At noon pa, noon pa, yung dito pa sa Davao, sabi sa akin ni President Duterte noon, tingnan mo itong Intsik na ito, itong Michael Yang na ito, kung ito ay involved sa druga, trabahuhin ninyo... kung ito ay involved sa druga, dahil baka makakasira ito sa atin."