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Senator Migz Zubiri shares a light moment with Senator Bato Dela Rosa at the Senate on August 15, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

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Bato, Zubiri

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171627844045820190815-senate-hearing-agri-meeting-GC-6377.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Senator Migz Zubiri shares a light moment with Senator Bato Dela Rosa at the Senate on August 15, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</span> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa on Tuesday admitted that he voted in favor of installing Sen. Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero as the new Senate President after his predecessor Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri hinted at possible &quot;betrayal.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/21/new-senate-leaders-emerge-as-some-panels-remain-vacant-1159">New Senate leaders emerge as some panels remain vacant</a></div><p>During Zubiri&#x27;s resignation speech Monday, he gave a shoutout to Dela Rosa for supposedly sticking with him until the end, prompting the senator to shed tears.</p><p>But on Tuesday, newly-installed Majority Leader Francis Tolentino revealed that Dela Rosa was among the majority senators who voted for the change in leadership.</p><p>Dela Rosa said that he felt embarrassed for failing to ensure the support of his PDP-Laban bloc colleagues Tolentino and Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go for Zubiri.</p><p>Dela Rosa explained that all 3 of them had an agreement to vote together on issues and that if there are differences, the one who is outnumbered would go with the others.</p><p>That, according to Dela Rosa, was why he eventually signed the resolution supporting Escudero.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/20/escudero-takes-helm-of-senate-after-zubiri-resignation-1535">Escudero takes Senate helm after Zubiri resignation</a></div><p>&quot;Among us 3 magka-batch na PDP senators, we forged a covenant na majority wins in every voting situation... In this case, silang 2 talaga ay nag-decide na sumuporta kay Sen. Chiz Escudero, ako ay naiwan. I want to stay, ayoko sana, pero yun ang usapan,&quot; he said.</p><p>Dela Rosa said his vote was &quot;immaterial&quot; to the resignation of Zubiri since Escudero had already <span style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">secured the numbers to clinch the top post </span>even before he signed the resolution. </p><p>&quot;My signature was already insignificant... Lumapit sila sa akin after the battle has been won. Meron na silang 14 na pirma,&quot; Dela Rosa said.</p><p>The senator said the majority urged him to vote in favor of Escudero after they learned that he was considering to join the minority bloc.</p><p>&quot;I was persuaded by Sen. Chiz and Sen. Alan Cayetano na please stay with the majority wag ka pumunta sa minority,&quot; Dela Rosa said. </p><p>Dela Rosa then apologized to Zubiri. </p><p>&quot;Gusto ko sabihin kay Migz doon is sorry boss, I failed to win the war for you because I am one of his trusted lieutenants,&quot; Dela Rosa said. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/20/zubiri-steps-down-as-senate-president-1454">&#x27;I failed to follow instructions&#x27;: Zubiri steps down as Senate president</a></div><p>Dela Rosa also admitted feeling guilty as many suspected it was his &quot;PDEA leaks&quot; probe that ultimately cost Zubiri his post.</p><p>Despite this, Dela Rosa said he would continue the investigation when businessman Manjin James Kumar is healthy enough to face the hearing.</p><p>Dela Rosa said that just like Zubiri, he was also heartbroken after what transpired at the Senate on Monday</p><p>&quot;If he is heartbroken, I am also heartbroken, my heart is really broken...He is a very good leader. Sen Zubiri. I love him very much. I respect him very much.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div> </div><div><br/></div>

<p><i>Dela Rosa said that just like Zubiri, he was also heartbroken after what transpired at the Senate on Monday.</i></p>

Dela Rosa said that just like Zubiri, he was also heartbroken after what transpired at the Senate on Monday.

Bato says sorry to Zubiri, explains vote backing Escudero

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Bato says sorry to Zubiri, explains vote backing Escudero

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 21, 2024 01:46 PM PHT

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Updated May 21, 2024 04:03 PM PHT

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Senate

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Bato dela Rosa

Juan Miguel Zubiri

Senate President

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