Metro Manila, Philippines – The camp of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said they are operating under the assumption that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued a warrant of arrest against him, as a precautionary measure.
Israelito Torreon, Dela Rosa’s lawyer, stopped short of confirming the existence of a warrant in a phone interview with reporters on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had claimed in a social media post on Sunday that an ICC warrant had already been issued, even advising the senator to insist on being brought to a Philippine court first.
“Meron din akong nakuhang ganyan, similar information [I also received something like that, similar information]” Torreon said, referring to Roque’s.
“Pero wala pa kasi akong clear evidence [But I do not have clear evidence yet],” he added.
“Parang I am on a bind kung totoo ba talaga itong may arrest warrant na o wala kasi nga yung issue on jurisdiction is still pending in the appeals chamber of ICC and I don’t think the ICC will issue a warrant if jurisdiction is still under question,” he explained.
[Translation: I’m somewhat in a bind about whether this arrest warrant really exists or not, because the issue of jurisdiction is still pending before the ICC Appeals Chamber, and I don’t think the ICC will issue a warrant while jurisdiction is still being questioned.]
Torreon, however, noted the multiple reports about the alleged ICC warrant, including one made publicly by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“I take it as it is since Ombudsman Remulla already declared na meron na nga and ngayon may report nanaman na meron na nga so we are operating on the side of caution na meron na nga talaga [that there is one, and now there are more reports saying it exists, so we are operating on the side of caution—as if it has indeed been issued],” Torreon said.
Dela Rosa has been absent from Senate sessions for the past month, following Remulla’s public remarks about the supposed warrant.
Torreon said his client wants clear-cut guidelines on what the process would be in the event the ICC officially orders his arrest. Dela Rosa has a pending petition before the Supreme Court seeking its intervention on the matter — filed around the time former President Rodrigo Duterte was controversially arrested and turned over to the ICC in March.
Duterte is detained in The Hague, Netherlands, over alleged extrajudicial killings. There have since been talks that Dela Rosa — Duterte’s former Philippine National Police chief — may be next.
“Yung issue kasi dito yung personal safety na niya and he wants to be clarified as to what are the procedures to be undertaken if the government will really implement the surrender,” Torreon said.
[Translation: The issue here is really his personal safety, and he wants clarification on what procedures will be followed if the government actually proceeds with the surrender.]
The lawyer clarified that he last spoke to Dela Rosa in early November, before talk of the ICC warrant surfaced, and is now communicating only with the senator’s family.
He added that he refrains from asking about Dela Rosa’s whereabouts but believes the senator is still in the country.
Torreon said Dela Rosa would “presumably” surrender to authorities should the government clarify the process and ensure that his rights will be respected.
