DOJ Speaks on Reported Arrest Warrant vs. Sen. Bato dela Rosa by ICC
BATO DELA ROSA – The Department of Justice clarified that surrendering the Senator to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if there is an arrest warrant is an option.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla claimed that the ICC has allegedly issued an arrest warrant against Sen. dela Rosa. He was the first chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the tenure of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who is currently detained under the ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands.
Following the arrest of former Pres. Duterte last March 11, Dela Rosa claimed that he was the next person that the ICC supposedly targets to arrest for the probe of the drug war. A certain “Dela Rosa” was mentioned in the case of the former President before the ICC.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is faced with three (3) counts of murder as alleged “crimes against humanity” filed by the ICC prosecution team. The foreign court denied the interim release plea of the former Chief Executive.
The International Criminal Court also junked the challenge of Duterte’s camp challenging its jurisdiction. Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes previously claimed that the ICC will allegedly issue an arrest warrant against senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go. The latter is a long-time aide of the former Presidnet.
According to Ombudsman Boying Remulla, the claim about the alleged ICC arrest warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa was relayed by the acting Secretary of Justice and they will still have to verify it. Recently, the DOJ spoke on the options in case the foreign court has indeed issued an arrest warrant against the former PNP chief turned Senator.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, DOJ chief state counsel Dennis Chan clarified that surrendering Sen. Bato dela Rosa remains an option aside from the longer process of extradition. His statement came after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin claimed that the Senator will not be automatically surrendered to the ICC.
According to Chan, closing the door on one option “and just focus entirely on extradition is limiting the state’s discretion”. When asked if surrendering Sen. Bato dela Rosa would be a faster process in case there is indeed an ICC arrest warrant, the DOJ Chief State Counsel admitted that the extradition process will take longer time.
“We are looking at possibly months, whereas kung surrender very, definitely shorter ang process,” he said.
Based on the report, according to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, while there are two options that are being considered, if the ICC issues an arrest warrant against Sen. dela Rosa, the Philippine government is allegedly inclined to comply.
Previously, the camp of Sen. Bato dela Rosa spoke on the alleged ICC arrest warrant against the Senator.