NBI vows Bato dela Rosa arrest 'without delay'

National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said the NBI would arrest Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa “without delay.”

Matibag said this after Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida’s announcement that the NBI and the Philippine National Police have been ordered to serve the arrest warrant on Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court. He is allegedly a co-conspirator in the crimes against humanity charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The charges are in connection with the killings under Duterte’s war on drugs when he was mayor of Davao City and when he was president of the Philippines.

“The order is to arrest Senator Dela Rosa, so we’ll do so without delay,” Matibag said.

“In carrying out the arrest, we will strictly abide by the rules and ensure it is done professionally, as we always do,” he added.

“Fugitive Senator Dela Rosa will be arrested whether he likes it or not because we have to implement the law without fear or favor,” Matibag said.

Dela Rosa’s lawyers have denied that he was a fugitive from justice. They said that the arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) should go through the process of a local court.

“We have to respect our Constitution. We have to respect customary international law. We have to respect treaty law in this regard,” said Israelito Torreon.

“In the spirit of fair play and due process, and even humanitarianism, hindi po nila pwede i-effect ang isang inactionable na warrant through misrepresentations,” said Jimmy Bondoc.

Dela Rosa’s lawyers also questioned the government's shifting statements, as it had claimed before that there was no order to arrest the senator.

“Prior to the order rendered by the Supreme Court, they were saying to the public, or he was saying to the public, that there can be no arrest, on the part of the government, of Senator Bato,” said Torreon.

He was referring to the Supreme Court’s earlier decision denying Dela Rosa’s plea for a temporary restraining order against a possible arrest by the ICC. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA News