Roque urges Dela Rosa: Seek sanctuary with SC
THE International Criminal Court has already released the arrest warrant against Senator Ronald Dela Rosa in connection with the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.
The Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, however, said they have not yet official-ly received or seen any ICC warrant against Dela Rosa.
“We haven’t received or seen a copy of the warrant,” DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said.
“We have no official document to work on,” Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla added.
Dela Rosa served as Duterte’s former police chief and Oplan Tokhang chief enforcer.
Roque, in a social media post late Sunday evening, claimed the arrest warrant against Dela Rosa was already out, urging the lawmaker to be careful.
“Do not get kidnapped. Insist that you have the right to be brought before a Philippine court first,” Roque said.
“The ICC arrest warrant against Sen. Dela Rosa has long been out. But it was only yesterday that it was officially received by the DOJ and DILG. They will only start to move now,” Roque said in a social media update Monday evening.
He also advised Dela Rosa, who has not been attending Senate sessions since Nov. 11 when Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Rem-ulla confirmed the ICC arrest warrant, to seek sanctuary with the Supreme Court.
Over the weekend, the Ombudsman maintained that the arrest warrant against Dela Rosa has already been issued, adding that they are monitoring the latter’s whereabouts.
In a previous interview, ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti confirmed Dela Rosa is a co-perpetrator of the crimes charged against Duterte.
“We have maintained that a warrant against Bato Dela Rosa, Duterte’s co-perpetrator of crimes against humanity, is certain from what the victims know and what the prosecution has presented. It is up to the Marcos administration to enforce his arrest and surrender to the ICC,” she said.
Duterte’s legal team said it had “no information” on the supposed warrant of arrest against the senator.
“I have no information on a supposed arrest warrant for Senator Dela Rosa,” Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said.
He said any additional arrest warrant would “defy prosecutorial logic” since the ICC has yet to resolve an appeal that it is not competent to judge the 80-year-old Duterte.
Dela Rosa’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, lamented that other legislators go on months-long absence without facing similar scruti-ny.
“I think this is partly a matter of self-preservation for Senator Bato,” Torreon said.
“I haven’t spoken with him directly, but when it comes to security and personal safety, you know your security team could immediately hand you over and send you to the ICC, and you wouldn’t be able to challenge the validity of your arrest there.”
“That situation isn’t acceptable, and personal safety is at stake. Of course, he has to act cautiously,” Torreon added.
Dela Rosa in March said he is considering hiding from authorities rather than surrendering to the ICC should it move to have him arrested.
“If we do not see any justice here in our country, why would you surrender?” Dela Rosa said. “That (not surrendering) is part of the course of action that can be done.”
