Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine National Police is in the process of revoking fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s licenses for at least a hundred guns in his possession, PGen Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
The process of stripping Dela Rosa of gun privileges is in light of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against the senator.
“Since we have received the warrant of arrest…we have to look at all circumstances, and one is the firearms. The concern of the office of the PNP is processing,” the chief said on Tuesday, May 26.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said he has been expecting law enforcers to remove Dela Rosa’s licenses “as soon as possible.”
“Basically, there’s an arrest warrant, and having a license to gun ownership is not a right but a privilege. Anytime, the republic should not have its tools and mechanisms limited,” Vida said.
Dela Rosa, a PNP chief at the height of the anti-drug war campaign, went into hiding again following a tense standoff at the Senate. He was incognito for months before that and only reappeared to cast the deciding vote to install Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, replacing Tito Sotto.
National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag earlier tagged Dela Rosa as “armed and dangerous.”
The justice secretary also urged Dela Rosa to surrender and encouraged the public to provide information on the embattled lawmaker’s location.
