KABATAAN PARTYLIST Rep. Renee Co called on Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to step down from office, criticizing what she described as his continued absence while facing a possible arrest tied to the International Criminal Court.
In a statement released Friday, Co said public funds should not be used to support officials who are avoiding accountability. She argued that remaining in office while in hiding undermines public trust and weakens the principle of responsibility in government. Co added that young Filipinos will continue to press for justice regardless of where those accused may be staying.
Dela Rosa has not appeared in Senate sessions since November 2025 and recently marked his 64th birthday outside public view. In a social media post, he said he was waiting for what he called a legitimate pursuit of justice, rejecting the authority of foreign courts. He maintained that he would only face any charges before Filipino institutions and framed his refusal to submit to an international tribunal as a matter of patriotism and national sovereignty.
Co dismissed that argument, saying accountability, not avoidance, defines genuine service to the country. She accused the senator of prioritizing self-preservation over public duty and said patriotism is demonstrated through sacrifice and responsibility rather than holding on to power.
Her remarks were directed at allegations linking Dela Rosa, a former chief of the Philippine National Police, to killings during the government’s anti-drug campaign under former president Rody Duterte. Duterte was served an ICC arrest warrant in March 2025 over drug war-related deaths and has since been detained in The Hague.
The ICC probe into the anti-drug campaign continues to spark political debate in the Philippines, raising questions over accountability, sovereignty, and the obligations of elected officials facing international scrutiny.
