Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau. Handout. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa maintained that former President Rodrigo Duterte's statements made to senators under oath were just jokes.

Duterte had talked at length about instructing police officers to goad drug suspects into fighting back so they could be killed and said that chiefs of police were part of the Davao Death Squads.

"Basta, as far as I am concerned, I know 100 percent no'ng sinabi niya na ''Yung mga chief of police ko diyan dati, yung Chief, [Philippine National Police] na 'yan, nandyan sa kanan ko, mga miyembro o mga leader' yan ng DDS'. Alam ko nagbibiro siya," he said. 

(As far as I know, 100 percent of what he said about chiefs of the PNP being members or leaders of the DDS was a joke. I know that he was joking)

He said that police officials were obviously not part of the Davao Death Squad — supposed vigilante groups that killed alleged drug personalities — and that Duterte saying they were was a "clear joke." 

He said that Duterte often uses "psychological warfare" and always talks in "extremes, superlatives and hyperboles" meant to frighten supposed criminals.

Duterte's spokespersons and officials when he was president often used the same explanation for his controversial statements.

Even Duterte's statements detailing how he encouraged supposedly policemen to provoke criminals to resist arrest so they can be killed should be taken in that light, Dela Rosa said

"As I have said, puro panakot niya 'yan sa kriminal. Puro panakot niya 'yan," he said, adding he had never heard Duterte that kind of order and that he would not follow anyway.

(As I have said, that is all just scare tactics)

Dela Rosa, a former Davao City police chief and later Philippine National Police chief, said he also had no information on death squads made up of gangsters.

"Hindi ako aware, hindi ako aware. Alam ko may namamatay doon sa Davao at pinipilit na in-attribute sa media, ng media, ng local media ng Davao, sa Davao Death Squad kuno. Pero when you say Davao Death Squad na organized, na kuwan talaga, 'yung dedicated para d'yan. I have no personal knowledge," he explained. 

(I am not aware. I know that people were killed in Davao and media attributed it to the supposed Davao Death Squad, but a Davao Death Squad organized for that purpose? I have no personal knowledge)

Former Sen. Leila De Lima told the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-committee on Monday that she had investigated reported extrajudicial killings by the DDS when she was Commission on Human Rights chair but that witnesses were too afraid to go on the record for cases to be filed.

Dela Rosa said he believes there is no need for Duterte to clarify his position.

"It's up for you to decipher kung 'yan ay biro o 'yan ay totoo. So kung gusto niyo gawin totoo, go ahead. Gawin niyo, seryusuhin niyo 'yan at i-file yung kaso sa korte," he said.

(It's up to you to decipher if he was joking or not. If you want to take it seriously, then go ahead and file a case in court)

DELA ROSA: DUTERTE'S STATEMENTS CAN BE USED AGAINST HIM

Dela Rosa joins those who believe that Duterte's statements before the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee investigation on the war on drugs maybe used against him in court. 

"Puwedeng magamit 'yan against him. Lalong-lalo na under oath siya, di ba? Nagsalita siya roon. Depende na sa kanya, how is he going to defend himself? Kasi nga, hinahamon pa nga niya yung nag-imbestiga. Lahat ng komite na nag-imbestiga sa kanya, [he said] 'you file cases against me'. Kung meron kayo ebidensya, kasuhan daw siya." he said.

(Those can be used against him, especially since they were made under oath. He has been challenging those investigating him to file cases if they have the evidence, right?)

Dela Rosa also said that Duterte's use of foul language is just part of his nature.

"Wala naman talaga isang minura doon sa miyembro ng committee. Wala man siyang minura doon na ibang tao," Dela Rosa added.

(He did not really curse at anyone in the committee. He did not curse at anyone)