Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said Thursday that Philippine law enforcement has been told to move on the International Criminal Court warrant against Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa after the Supreme Court refused to issue temporary relief blocking his possible arrest.
Vida said the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation have been directed to arrest Dela Rosa, whom he described as a “fugitive from justice.” He said the action is based on a “validly issued” ICC arrest warrant and that Dela Rosa should be brought before the tribunal to face the charges.
The warrant accuses Dela Rosa of being a co-conspirator in crimes against humanity tied to allegations connected to Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, covering Duterte’s time as Davao City mayor and later Philippine president.
The case became more urgent after the Supreme Court denied Dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order or status quo ante order against his possible arrest. The Court’s action did not decide the main petition, but it denied the immediate protection his camp had asked for while challenging the warrant’s enforcement in the Philippines.
Dela Rosa’s lawyers said they respected the Court’s action but maintained that the constitutional issues remain unresolved. “The main case remains alive. The constitutional questions remain squarely before the Supreme Court–and those questions are grave: whether the liberty of a Filipino may be placed at the mercy of a foreign process without the intervention of a Philippine court,” his legal team said.
Malacañang also said the warrant is valid for now.. “Sa ngayon, masasabi po natin na ang warrant of arrest ay valid laban dito kay Senator Bato dela Rosa,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
Dela Rosa’s camp has argued that while it recognizes the ICC warrant, it does not consider it enforceable in the country and will seek reconsideration. NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau has received several leads on Dela Rosa’s location, including one on where he may be, but declined to disclose details while the bureau withholds further information on his whereabouts.
