MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday called for justice for Sens. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, and Rodante Marcoleta, saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should also be "the president of the opposition."
During his Kontra-SONA speech, Cayetano called for "real reform" and equal justice in government, urging the Marcos administration to address corruption, rising public debt, poverty, and other pressing national concerns while ensuring that justice is applied fairly and without political bias.
Cayetano cited Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's situation, saying the lawmaker remains in hiding because he believed he cannot obtain fair treatment under the justice system.
He also referred to Estrada and Marcoleta as “political prisoners,” arguing that they should at least be allowed to post bail despite the plunder charges they are facing.
"The President said, 'I am the President not only of my family,' and that line was well worth the applause it received. But can we also add that the President is not just the President of the administration—he is also the President of the opposition," Cayetano said.
The statement echoed Marcos' declaration in his SONA that he is "not the president of his family" or "the president of his friends," but the President of the Philippines.
"Is justice truly equal, or is it being given selectively?" Cayetano said, arguing that the rule of law must be applied uniformly regardless of political affiliation.
