Bato camp on reported ICC arrest warrant: Let PH courts give due process

The camp of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Saturday said it is yet to get a hand on official information that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has indeed issued an arrest warrant against the senator.

This came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, in a radio interview, said that the ICC has issued a warrant of arrest against the senator.

Dela Rosa’s counsel Atty. Israelito Torreon, in a statement, said, “We have been made aware of circulating reports claiming that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa.”

“At this point, we do not have independent confirmation as to whether or not this information is accurate. We therefore urge the public and the media to exercise caution and restraint in sharing or interpreting such reports until verified information is officially released by competent authorities or by the ICC itself,” Torreon said.

Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Atty. Raphael Niccolo “Polo” Martinez also said that the agency is still verifying the information and “we have also not yet seen or received a copy of said arrest warrant.”

Remulla, on the other hand, said the information was relayed by officer-in-charge Secretary of Justice Eric Vida.

“If proven true, we trust that the Philippine Government will act in accordance with the rule of law, and that any such action shall first pass through the proper local judicial confirmation process consistent with our Constitution, due process, and the sovereign rights of the Republic of the Philippines,” Torreon said.

“For now, we shall await official confirmation before making any further statement on the matter,” Dela Rosa’s counsel said.

Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police when former president Rodrigo Duterte launched his controversial campaign against illegal drugs through “Oplan Tokhang” and “Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded.”

Duterte is currently detained at the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague in The Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity following his arrest through a warrant issued by the ICC.

The ICC Prosecutor has charged the former president with 49 incidents of murder and attempted murder during his time as mayor of Davao City and as President of the Philippines.

Based on government records, around 6,200 drug suspects were killed during the Duterte administration's anti-drug operations. Human rights organizations, however, say that the number may reach 30,000 due to the unreported related slays. —KG, GMA Integrated News