PNP contingency in case of ICC arrest warrant vs. Dela Rosa - Torre

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has contingencies in case the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues an arrest warrant on Sen. Bato dela Rosa, the new PNP chief said Monday, June 2.

PGen Nicolas Torre III said the agency will “just cross the bridge” when the time comes.

“It’s really something that has to be acted upon pag nandiyan na [if it’s already there],” Torre told reporters in a news conference after the change of command ceremony.

Torre led the March 11 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on a warrant issued by the ICC coursed through the Interpol due to alleged crimes against humanity for murder in his bloody drug war.

Dela Rosa, as former PNP chief of the Duterte administration, was top implementer of the anti-drug campaign.

He earlier said he would seek refuge in the Senate premises should an arrest warrant be issued by the ICC.

Challenge to Roque

Meanwhile, Torre also dared former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to return to the country and face the human trafficking case against him.

An arrest warrant has been issued against Roque, Cassandra Ong, and 49 others for alleged human trafficking in relation to the operations of the online gaming hub Lucky South 99. Torre said only two people have been arrested.

“This is a valid case pending before our courts. Abogado naman si Harry Roque harapin niya [Harry Roque is a lawyer so he should face the case],” the PNP chief said.

He said coordinating with the Interpol is “just one of many mechanisms” the authorities can use to bring Roque back to the country. The Department of Foreign Affairs has canceled Roque’s passport.

Roque is in the Netherlands seeking political asylum.

Torre also said the PNP has “all-out” operations against wanted persons, including former Bureau of Corrections Commissioner Gerald Bantag.

Bantag was tagged as the mastermind in the murder of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid in October 2022.

He said the PNP will reexamine the base information it has on the wanted persons.

“We are really very committed to ensuring these people hiding from the law…will be brought to justice,” he told reporters.

Torre, former chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, was key in the two-week manhunt and eventual arrest of Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte’s spiritual adviser amd megachurch leader in Davao, who is facing charges related to human trafficking and sexual and child abuse, among others.