The legal counsel of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Atty. Israelito Torreon, on Wednesday said he has no personal knowledge of the purported “powerful protectors” allegedly shielding the senator as authorities seek to locate him pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“With utmost respect to Secretary Remulla, we have no personal knowledge of these supposed ‘powerful protectors’ of Senator dela Rosa,” Torreon said.
“What we do know is that Senator dela Rosa is a deeply prayerful man who places his faith in Almighty God, his one and only Protector,” he added.
This comes after Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities already know Dela Rosa’s whereabouts and are continuing negotiations with the senator’s alleged protectors.
Remulla reportedly said the situation could involve “body bags” and that he did not want bloodshed to occur.
Torreon, meanwhile said it was unfortunate that the language of “body bags” had entered public discourse concerning a sitting senator, noting that such remarks from the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) could “cause apprehension among senator’s family, supporters and the Filipino public.“
He said that if the government believes Dela Rosa committed offenses punishable under Philippine law, the proper course would be to file cases before Philippine courts.
“We respectfully submit that if the Philippine Government believes that Senator dela Rosa committed offenses punishable under Philippine law, then the appropriate course is to bring the proper cases before Philippine courts,” Torreon said.
He also urged the government to prioritize Philippine sovereignty and the integrity of its judicial institutions instead of using its resources and authority to facilitate the surrender of a Filipino citizen to a foreign tribunal.
Torreon appealed to Remulla to use whatever lawful influence he may have within the administration to ask President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reconsider the government’s policy of facilitating the surrender of Filipino citizens to the ICC.
“We respectfully appeal to him to exert whatever lawful influence he may have upon the President to reconsider - and, we hope, make a detour from - the present policy of facilitating the surrender of Filipino citizens to the International Criminal Court,” Torreon said.
He stressed that the appeal was not a call for anyone to evade lawful accountability, but for accountability to be pursued in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and laws and before Philippine courts.
Torreon said he remains hopeful that the issue can be addressed through “law, reason, and respect for our constitutional institutions,” rather than through rhetoric about “body bags” or the possibility of bloodshed.
Dela Rosa is being sought by Philippine authorities pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity, including murder, linked to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
