Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday asserted that there is no legal basis to pursue Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa since no warrant of arrest has been issued against him.
Remulla made the statement in response to former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who criticized him for holding press briefings instead of focusing on arrest operations.
“Hindi ko maintindihan kay Sen. Trillanes, Hanapin daw namin si Bato. Anong hahanapin namin?. Alam namin nasa Davao siya pero wala naman WOA (warrant of arrest). So bakit namin hahanapin, bakit namin aarrestuhin. Kung gusto niya siya mag citizen arrest. Sabi niya kasi may warrant eh eh di siya mag-arrest, siya magdala dito,’’ Remulla said.
He pointed out that authorities have already arrested prominent personalities, including former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
“Andami na namin naaresto. Yung mga big fish isa si Sen. Bong voluntarily. Sana makita naman ni Sen. Trillanes na yung tamang ginawa namin sa lahat ng Sunwest (construction firm) na naaresto namin, lahat yan naaresto pero yung may mga pera madali magtago yan. Kung siya nga nagtago dati eh di ba, alam niya kung paano magtago,’’ he emphasized.
Earlier, the Sandiganbayan ordered Revilla’s temporary detention after the Ombudsman filed a malversation case over a ghost flood control project in Bulacan.
Remulla urged Trillanes to help in making arrests instead of criticizing. He also noted that authorities are aware of dela Rosa’s movements in Davao.
“Magkapitbahay kami niyan sa Cavite sa Silang. Siguro 500 meters abandoned na yung bahay niya, wala na kotse wala na lahat. Ang alam namin lahat pamilya mga apo niya nasa Davao na. Paikot ikot lang siya nakamotor,’’ he said.