Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is not troubled by the reported warrant of arrest put forth by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him, said a lawyer he is in contact with on Wednesday.

“Okay naman po siya, hindi naman siya nababahala. Takot, hindi naman po, concerned, yes,” Atty. Martin Delgra III said in an exclusive interview on Balansyado.

However, Delgra expressed disapproval of Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon’s earlier statement supposedly urging dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender to the ICC, saying this was not in accordance with the country’s laws.

He explained that, if a foreign state or entity issues an arrest warrant against a Filipino citizen, the warrant must undergo an extradition process wherein the Department of Justice (DOJ) will issue a petition for extradition.

“Nakalagay din ‘yan po sa Republic Act 9851, kung saan, kung may isu-surrender, base sa isang foreign warrant, or request ng isang foreign state, kailangan dadaan sa extradition proceeding. Ibig sabihin po niyan, yung Department of Justice, maghahain ng petition for extradition. So malayo pa po ‘yung usapin na aresto or voluntary surrender—idadaan natin sa tama, idadaan natin sa batas,” he told the anchors.

Moreover, dela Rosa should be able to answer the petition, and it must be the court, not the DOJ, who determines the validity of the arrest warrant.

The said arrest warrant was first revealed by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla during DZRH’s Executive Session program.

“I think so, I would say so. I have it on good authority that someone spoke to me earlier,” Remulla said, when asked if the warrant had been confirmed.

However, the Ombudsman’s brother, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, clarified that the information about the ICC arrest warrant against dela Rosa was obtained by the Ombudsman from a third-party source.

Dela Rosa has not been seen since the news of this arrest warrant broke.