Five members of the newly formed Senate minority bloc filed a formal resolution on Tuesday, pressing Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to surrender to “proper authorities” after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed an active warrant for his arrest.
Senate Resolution No. 395—authored by Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Bam Aquino, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros—explicitly calls for the former police chief to voluntarily submit to the judicial process.
The lawmakers argued that the chamber cannot be used as a shield against international legal obligations.
“Neither the Constitution nor the Rules of the Senate contain any provision authorizing the Senate to grant protective custody, institutional refuge or immunity from lawful arrest or surrender processes pursuant to existing laws, treaties or international cooperation mechanisms.”
The minority bloc underscored that while the 1987 Constitution provides specific parliamentary immunities, these do not extend to harboring members facing criminal charges or international warrants.
“Adherence to lawful processes and voluntary submission to judicial authority strengthen democratic institutions, reinforce constitutional accountability and uphold the principle that no public official is above the law.”
The resolution further clarifies that legislative powers do not grant the Senate the right to provide “sanctuary” or “protective custody” to any member beyond the narrow scope of constitutionally recognized privileges, effectively signaling that the minority will not support any effort to obstruct the ICC’s proceedings against their colleague.