Win Gatchalian, Ping Lacson to authorities: Conduct safe arrest of Bato dela Rosa

Authorities should conduct a safe arrest of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who is now considered "armed and dangerous" by law enforcement officials.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian told Super Radyo dzBB that the safety of Dela Rosa and the authorities tasked with arresting him are equally important.

"Sa enforcement agencies, dapat maging ligtas 'yung pag-aresto kay Sen. Bato," Gatchalian said Sunday. "Hindi pwedeng maging bayolente o may karahasan na mangyari."

(Enforcement agencies must conduct a safe arrest of Sen. Bato. No violence or cruelty should occur.)

"Importante ligtas siya at ligtas din ang law enforcement agencies... Importante na magkaroon ng maayos na pag-aresto sa kanya," he added.

(It's important that he and our law enforcement agencies are safe. It is important to have an orderly arrest.)

'Due process'

In a statement on Sunday, Senator Panfilo Lacson shared the same sentiment, saying that Dela Rosa's arrest should be carried out peacefully and without tragedy.

"He (dela Rosa) has his faults, as we all do. But whatever accusations he faces, he is entitled to due process, a fundamental right guaranteed to every Filipino, and for that matter, to every human being," Lacson said

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has raised a P50-million reward for the arrest of dela Rosa, Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla announced Friday.

Remulla's announcement came after he said Dela Rosa is under the protection of a group in Mindanao, with whom the government is initiating negotiations. He did not identify the said group.

He said an operation to get the former Philippine National Police chief could result in 10,000 deaths.

For Gatchalian, the government should assert its authority as he described the group to be more bolder than the former.

"Parang ang lumalabas, itong armed group ay mas matapang pa sa gobyerno," Gatchalian said.

(It seems like the armed group is more bold than the government.)

"Ang gobyerno, hindi dapat nakikipag-negotiate sa armed group lalo kung ang armed group ay terrorist group," he added.

(It's not right that the government is the one negotiating with the armed group, especially if that armed group is a terrorist group.)

Dela Rosa is charged before the International Criminal Court as a co-perpetrator with former president Rodrigo Duterte for cases of murder and attempted murder tied to the war on drugs of the latter's administration.

Both Duterte and Dela Rosa have denied the allegations against them.

Dela Rosa left the Senate before dawn on May 14, hours after a shooting incident in the chamber's premises.

Gatchalian said he has yet to communicate with Dela Rosa after his last appearance in May. —RF, GMA News