Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Wednesday struck a defiant chord, flatly rejecting calls from the Senate minority bloc to surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the unsealing of a warrant for his arrest.
The former police chief dismissed the move by five opposition senators as mere “politicking,” claiming that the vast majority of Filipinos support his refusal to submit to foreign jurisdiction.
“Out of 24, lima sila. Ito naman mga families kuno ng victims kuno ng EJK (extrajudicial killings), ilan sila? Siguro kung percentage-wise, bigyan natin kahit na 10% Filipinos ang nagsasabi, sumuko ka sa ICC. Pero 90% ng Pilipino nagsasabi sa akin, ‘Sir, huwag kang magpapahuli sa mga dayuhan. Filipino tayo, we are a sovereign state. Hindi tayo miyembro ng ICC. Huwag na huwag kang magpapahuli.’”
The push for his surrender came via Proposed Senate Resolution No. 395, filed by Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto and Senators Ping Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, and Bam Aquino.
The resolution argued that the Senate has a history of respecting judicial processes, citing the voluntary submissions of former lawmakers like the late Juan Ponce Enrile and Leila de Lima.
Dela Rosa, however, maintained that his stance is rooted in national pride rather than political maneuvering.
“Hindi ako na namomolitika dito but I’m stating a fact. Lahat ng tao na siya sabi sa akin, ‘Sir, huwag kang magpapasiil sa mga dayuhan.’ Dahil alam namin ang background nito, political lang itong lahat bakit nagkagaganoon.”
Dela Rosa is accused of being an “indirect co-perpetrator” in a “common plan” alongside former President Rodrigo Duterte to neutralize drug suspects through violent means.
While Dela Rosa remains at large and active in the Senate, Duterte is currently detained in The Hague as he awaits trial for alleged crimes against humanity.