Cheyenne Suarez

'Ang tamaan 'wag magalit': Palace chides Bato for bristling at 'obstructionist' remark

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro called out Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa after taking her remark as a &#x27;warning&#x27; to senators.</p><p>Castro this week said the Marcos Jr. administration welcomes &quot;legitimate&quot; opposition but will go against &quot;obstructionists&quot;, which she said refers to lawmakers who only want to discredit government for personal or partisan reasons. </p><p>“Sino siya para mag-warning sa amin?... Kung gusto nila ng magandang samahan, magandang cooperation, do not start with warning or threatening the senators,” Dela Rosa said in an interview.</p><p>(Who is she to warn us? If the administration wants good relations and cooperation, do not start with warning or threatening the senators)</p><p>Dela Rosa also said he and his allies expect to form a ‘Duterte bloc’ as an opposition faction in the 20th Congress.</p><p>“With all due respect to Sen. Bato dela Rosa, bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan ay huwag magalit,” Castro told Dela Rosa in a press briefing Friday, May 16, using a Filipino idiom similar to &quot;if the shoe fits&quot;.</p><div><strong>CASTRO: I DIDN&#x27;T MENTION ANY NAMES</strong></div><p>Castro clarified that she did not mention any names and that her remark was not a threat to anyone. </p><p>“Unang-una po, wala tayong pinapangalanan kung sino man, ito po ay pangkalahatan. Ang nais po natin sa taumbayan ay huwag maging obstructionist para magtuluy-tuloy po ang magagandang proyekto at programa ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon,” she said.</p><p>(First of all, I didn&#x27;t mention anyone. That was a general statement. What we would wish from out people is to not be obstructionist so the good projects and programs of the President and administration will continue and prosper)</p><p>Castro advised Dela Rosa to consider what she said and the words she used.</p><p>She repeated her previous statement about &quot;legitimate&quot; opposition and obstructionists, saying criticizing projects just because the administration is behind it would not be good for the country. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/12/sara-duterte-invites-filipinos-help-build-powerful-principled-opposition-0032">Sara Duterte invites Filipinos: Help build &#x27;powerful, principled&#x27; opposition &#x27;regardless of past affiliation&#x27;</a></div><div><strong>‘NO MORE PARTY LINES’</strong></div><p>With the diverse winning candidates poised to enter the 20th Congress, Castro asserted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is always willing to work with lawmakers regardless of their political affiliation.  </p><p>“Sa paningin po ng Pangulo, wala na pong Alyansa, wala pong PDP, walang anumang kulay ng pulitika, dapat lahat po ng nahalal ay magkaisa-isa, magkaroon po ng kooperasyon,” Castro said.</p><p>(In the President&#x27;s eyes, there is no longer any divide between Alyansa and PDP, no political colors. All elected officials should unite and work together)</p><p>Political affiliations and loyalties tend to shift easily in the Philippines, where analysts say parties are usually <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/6/political-watchdog-analyst-weigh-in-on-value-of-political-parties-in-ph-1930">just election machinery for powerful families.</a></p><p>“Hindi po hahadlang din ang Pangulo kung anuman po ang kanilang mga suhestiyon, kung ito man ay hindi naaayon sa programa sa Pangulo,” she added.</p><p>(The President will not oppose suggestions and proposals even if these are not in line with his program of government)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/14/analyst-sees-recalibrations-of-alliances-in-senate-as-impeachment-trial-looms-0044">Analyst sees &#x27;recalibrations of alliances&#x27; in Senate as Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial looms</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RUl2gvTbvlc?si=G1g7wWJ_ckA_rKWa" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro called out Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa after taking her remark as a 'warning' to senators.</p>

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro called out Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa after taking her remark as a 'warning' to senators.