PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III Speaks on Possible ICC Arrest Order vs. Sen. Bato dela Rosa
NICOLAS TORRE III – The Chief of the Philippine National Police said the PNP is preparing a contingency plan for Senator Bato dela Rosa if the International Criminal Court (ICC) will order his arrest.
The Philippine National Police is now under a new lead after Pres. Bongbong Marcos appointed Torre as the new PNP chief. He succeeds former PNP chief Rommel Francisco Marbil whose extension of service is set to expire in July.
Nicolas Torre III who was the chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) then led the transfer of the custody of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to the ICC. He earned both bashing and praises over his move.
Former Pres. Duterte is detained in The Hague, Netherlands for more than two (2) months now. He is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity before the ICC due to his administration’s war on drugs.
During the implementation of the war on drugs of the Duterte administration, the Philippine National Police was under the lead of now-Senator Bato dela Rosa. He claimed several times that he is allegedly on the second line of the list of the people who might be arrested by the ICC for the drug war probe.
Since Duterte was arrested, Dela Rosa had several opposing remarks over his possible ICC arrest. Initially, the former PNP Chief-turned-Senator claimed that he is willing to join Duterte in The Hague. However, shortly after, he expressed that he will sought the protection that the Senate can provide to him and won’t allow himself to be arrested.
Dela Rosa even affirmed that hiding from the authorities is an option that he might consider if the ICC issues an arrest warrant against him. He also claimed that he wants to visit former Pres. Duterte in The Hague and he tried to see how he looks like if he wears a wig.
Previously, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that Sen. Bato dela Rosa’s name in the ICC list of people who might be arrested is ahead of hers. Recently, new PNP chief Nicolas Torre III was asked about the possible ICC arrest of the former PNP Chief-turned-Senator.
Based on a report on PhilStar, new PNP chief Nicolas Torre III claimed that the national police is preparing a contingency plan in case the ICC will issue an arrest order against Sen. Bato dela Rosa. However, he refused to give the details.
“We’ll cross the bridge when we get there,” Torre said.
Based on the report, new PNP chief Nicolas Torre III expressed that he does not want to speculate on what might happen in the days ahead. According to him, if something comes up, the police must act on it.
“It’s hard to pre-empt what can happen. What if nothing comes up? It’s really something that has to be acted upon, when it’s already there. We’ll make decision as it comes,” he said.
Previously, Sen. Bato dela Rosa claimed that there are allegedly ICC investigators who force the witnesses to testify against him and Duterte. He called on Pres. Bongbong Marcos to deport the alleged investigators if he is really sincere on his “reconciliation” remarks over the Duterte family.