Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 22) — In a seeming change of tune, Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa is urging the Marcos government to “be man enough” and tell him its “real” stance regarding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the bloody war on drugs.
\”What I am asking from this government is to be man enough, to please tell us what is the real score,\” Dela Rosa said in a news conference on Monday.
\”Sabihin lang, wala namang problema diyan. Wala lang patalikod na transaksyon (Just tell us, there’s no problem with that. But there should be no secret transaction),\” he added.
There have been rumors that ICC investigators have entered the country to probe the anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte, but Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told CNN Philippines on Jan. 3 that there was “no contact between ICC and DOJ” at that time.
READ: DOJ says no contact with ICC amid claims of investigators’ entry to PH for drug war probe
A Kyodo News report on Jan. 18 quoted Remulla as saying the government will not stop the Hague-based tribunal’s investigators from conducting their probe in the country if they are following legal procedures.
On Sunday, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged that the ICC investigators have already finished their investigation and the international court might issue arrest warrants soon.
Dela Rosa said he would not believe such rumors if there was still no confirmation from the government.
But he made an appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: \”Pag sinabihan mo ako noon na hindi sila pwedeng pumasok at ngayon nagbago yong ihip ng hangin pumayag na kayo na pumasok, please tell us. You are our president. You are our leader. Tell us so that we will know what to do.\”
[Translation: If you told me before that you won’t let them enter our country and now, if the winds have changed and you will permit them to do so, please tell us.]
\”I hope this government is kind enough to inform us. After all, we are citizens of this republic and we need protection from our government kung kinakailangan namin, ‘di ba? (if we need it, right?)\” he said, adding it might be a stab in the back if the government already allowed the entry of ICC investigators.
Dela Rosa, who as then-Philippine National Police chief was the lead implementer of the Duterte administration’s crackdown on drugs, has been asserting that he will not cooperate with the ICC’s probe.
In July 2023, the ICC Appeals Chamber allowed the tribunal’s prosecutor to continue his investigation, rejecting the Philippines’ plea against the probe’s resumption.
“Dedma lang. Hayaan mo lang sila kung ano gusto nilang gawin. Hindi ako na-surprise. Hindi ako concerned. Hindi ako nababagabag,” Dela Rosa said of the ruling at that time. 581825
[Translation: I’m just ignoring it. Let them do what they want. I’m not surprised. I’m not concerned. I’m not worried.]
