Sen. Bato dela Rosa No Longer Expects Justice from Marcos Administration
BATO DELA ROSA – The Senator mentioned Philippine President Bongbong Marcos in his defense for changing his stand over the possibility that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will issue an arrest warrant against him.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) authorities following the reported issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court. The ICC has long investigated the war on drugs of the previous administration amid the accusations linking it to several deaths.
Duterte is currently detained at the Hague Penitentiary Institution for over a week now. Sen. Bato dela Rosa tagged Duterte’s arrest as a “betrayal to the max” by Pres. Bongbong Marcos. He also claimed that the Marcos administration is allegedly blinded by politics on its decision to surrender the former President to the foreign court.
Aside from former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, another government official linked to the war on drugs of the Duterte administration is Sen. Bato dela Rosa. He was the chief of the PNP during the term of former Pres. Duterte.
Previously, Sen. Bato dela Rosa said he is ready to join Duterte in The Hague if all the legal remedies fail. According to him, he considers it a mission to take care of the former President in The Hague if both of them will be detained.
Dela Rosa also claimed that he can defend himself before the ICC even if he is not a lawyer in case no lawyer can represent him. However, in his recent pronouncements, there is a change of stand by the Senator and he even confirmed that hiding from the authorities is an option for him in case the ICC issues an arrest warrant against him.
The Senator also said that he will seek the protection that the Senate can afford him as an institution. According to him, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero vowed to extend the protection that the upper chamber can provide.
The change of stance of Sen. Bato dela Rosa over the possible arrest by the ICC caught the attention of countless people and elicited different reactions. Based on a report on GMA News, the PNP chief turned Senator defended his move and even cited Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
“Nagbago nga si President Marcos ng stand, di ba? Ako pa ‘di magbago ng stand? Dapat flexible ka, huwag kang magpa-fix diyan dahil panahon ng kagipitan ngayon. Marunong dumiskarte dapat,” Dela Rosa said.
Based on the report, Sen. dela Rosa questioned those who are questioning his stand saying that it is his strategy. According to him, with the way the Marcos administration allegedly treated former Pres. Duterte, the Senator is not expecting justice.
“Sana maintindihan ninyo. I have to survive. I have to survive all these trials that are thrown before us,” the Senator said.
Previously, Sen. dela Rosa claimed that his PNP security details were recalled days after the arrest of Duterte. According to him, he only knew about it when he returned to Davao from the campaign sorties.