Sen. Bato dela Rosa Faced with ICC Arrest Warrant as per Ombudsman?
BATO DELA ROSA – The former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief-turned-Senator was no show at the recent plenary session in the Senate amid the reported arrest warrant allegedly issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Ombudsman Boying Remulla previously claimed that the ICC has allegedly issued an arrest warrant against Sen. Dela Rosa. He was the first PNP chief during the term of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte who is currently detained under the ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands since March.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is faced with three (3) counts of murder as alleged “crimes against humanity” filed by the ICC prosecution. According to Sen. dela Rosa, he is supposedly the next person that the ICC wants to arrest for the investigation of the Duterte drug war.
“Dela Rosa” was mentioned in the ICC case against former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The foreign court denied the interim release plea of the former President. Amid his detention, Sen. Bato dela Rosa has expressed multiple times a desire to visit him inside the ICC detention facility in The Hague but it did not happen.
Sen. Bato dela Rosa is one of the senators who called for a house arrest for former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Over his claim that the ICC allegedly wants to arrest him, too, for the flood control investigation, the Senator had multiple change of stance on what he will do and he sought for public understanding saying that it’s his “strategy”.
There were times when Dela Rosa expressed his readiness to join Duterte in The Hague. There were also instances when he admitted that hiding is one of the options he considers and he might seek the protection that the Senate can afford to him.
However, based on a post of News5 on social media, amid the reported ICC arrest warrant against him, Sen. Bato dela Rosa was no show during the most recent plenary session in the Senate. Twenty (20) senators attended the session.
Senate President Tito Sotto previously admitted that he is not privy on the supposed arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Sen. dela Rosa. According to him, as an institution, the chamber will not allow any senator to be arrested within its premises. Otherwise, it is no longer their concern.
Recently, amid the ICC and the DOJ not confirming the reported issuance of an arrest warrant, Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that he allegedly has a copy of the ICC arrest warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa.