Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Speaks on Reported Arrest Warrant Issued by ICC vs. Sen. Bato dela Rosa
TITO SOTTO – The Senate President reacted to the reported arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Bato dela Rosa.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla previously claimed that the ICC has allegedly released an arrest warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa. According to the Ombudsman, the report was supposedly relayed to him by the acting Secretary of Justice.
Dela Rosa was the first chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the tenure of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The former Chief Executive is currently detained under the ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands.
Amid the ICC detention of former Pres. Duterte, Sen. Bato dela Rosa was vocal that he is allegedly the next person that the foreign court wants to arrest for the investigation of the Duterte drug war. He had several change of stance over the matter.
Following the arrest of the former President, the Senator claimed that he is allegedly ready to be arrested and he is even willing to take care of the “old man” in The Hague. However, shortly after it, he claimed that he will all legal remedies to evade arrest.
Dela Rosa even admitted that hiding is one of his options to evade arrest in case the ICC issues an arrest warrant. He claimed that he will seek the protection that the Senate can afford him as an institution. Then, the sitting Senate chief was Sen. Chiz Escudero.
Recently, amid the reported ICC arrest warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto spoke on the matter. Based on a report on GMA News, the Senate Chief admitted that he is not privy to reported issuance of an arrest warrant.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto stressed that they cannot allow any senator to be arrested within the premises of the Senate. He emphasized “institutional courtesy”.
“But as I have said in the past and in consultation with some members of the Senate, to preserve the dignity of the Senate, and as a matter of institutional courtesy, we cannot allow any senator to be arrested in the Senate premises,” the Senate President said.
However, based on the report, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto stressed that outside the Senate premises, it is no longer the concern of the chamber if Sen. Bato dela Rosa will be arrested. Previously, the lawyer of Sen. Bato dela Rosa spoke on the alleged issuance of an ICC arrest warrant.