Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has emphasized the critical need for operational secrecy during high-profile manhunts, following public updates from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and the Philippine National Police (PNP) regarding the search for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
Lacson pointed out that discretion is vital in sensitive live cases to avoid compromising the apprehension of wanted individuals, unless strategic disinformation is required.
“SSSHHH… : When pursuing a high-profile target or handling a sensitive live case, secrecy discipline is key – unless disinformation is necessary to flush the quarry into the open,” Lacson wrote in a social media post on Sunday, November 1.
The remarks follow ongoing efforts to locate Dela Rosa, who has been at large for nearly five months under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning the anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Authorities have placed a ₱50-million reward for information leading to his arrest, following the expiration of a government-imposed one-week surrender deadline.
While Lacson did not directly reference Remulla or the PNP, his statement follows public disclosures by officials, including Remulla’s claim that a heavily armed group in Mindanao was sheltering Dela Rosa, alongside regular police updates on the search.
Meanwhile, former President Duterte remains detained at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, as part of the tribunal’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s drug war.