Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang cautioned senators against going beyond the limits of the law amid moves to place Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa under Senate protective custody after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him.
During a Palace briefing, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said lawmakers should know the extent of their authority as senators.
“Well, ayaw nating pangunahan ang mga senador but dapat alam nila kung ano ang batas kasi mambabatas sila,” Castro said.
[Translation: We do not want to preempt the senators, but they should know the law because they are lawmakers.]
“So, alam nila kung ano ang limitasyon nila, ano lang iyong kanilang authority, ano lang iyong power nila but they should not go beyond the law,” she added.
[Translation: They know their limitations, their authority, and their powers, but they should not go beyond the law.]
Castro made the remarks after former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV warned that using the Senate as a “sanctuary” for Dela Rosa could trigger a constitutional crisis.
The Palace official also said Senate privilege has limitations under the law.
“Mayroon pong tinatawag na privilege para hindi po hulihin ang sinumang senador habang nasa session kapag siya po ay nasa vicinity ng Senado. But alam po natin na ito ay may limitasyon,” Castro said.
[Translation: There is a privilege so senators cannot be arrested while in session within the vicinity of the Senate. But we know this privilege has limitations.]
“Kapag po ang isang krimen na nagawa ay may penalty na more than six years, hindi po mag-a-apply itong pribilehiyo na ito,” she added.
[Translation: If the crime carries a penalty of more than six years, that privilege does not apply.]
Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s standing order to law enforcement agencies is to follow the law.
“Ang lagi naman pong utos ng pangulo sa lahat ng enforcement agencies… dapat lamang ay sumunod kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas,” she said.
[Translation: The president’s instruction to all enforcement agencies is to follow what the law says.]
Dela Rosa returned to the Senate on Monday, May 11, after months out of public view to be counted in a move to replace Tito Sotto with Alan Cayetano as Senate president, and later sought Senate protection following attempts by authorities and former Senator Sonny Trillanes to verify or serve the warrant inside the Senate complex.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta later moved to place Dela Rosa under Senate protective custody while he exhausts legal remedies.
Dela Rosa served as the chief implementer of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Duterte himself is currently awaiting trial before the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity tied to the anti-drug campaign.
