Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday appealed to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to “take care of every Filipino” and ensure that no citizen is taken abroad to face trial, following reports of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him.
Dela Rosa made the appeal just hours after the reported warrant surfaced, urging the president to defend national sovereignty and insist that the country’s domestic justice system is sufficient to handle criminal cases.
In a statement directed at Marcos, Dela Rosa said he harbored no personal animosity toward the president but pressed him to act on what he described as a moral responsibility.
“Sir BBM, hindi ako galit sa iyo. At alam ko rin na wala [kang] personal na galit sa akin. Ako ngayon ay umaapela [ako] sa iyo na sana alagaan mo [ang] bawat Pilipino na hindi madala sa ibang bansa," he said.
“You are our President. It is your moral obligation. Not only your constitutional mandate, kundi moral obligation mo yan, Sir, na protektahan ang bawat Pilipino na hindi madala sa ibang bansa,” he added.
Dela Rosa argued that the Philippines has a functioning justice system and rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction, calling its actions “overreaching.”
He said local courts are capable of handling cases and insisted there is no need for foreign intervention.
“Hindi natutulog ang ating justisya. Kaya masyadong over-reaching yung ICC sa atin,” he said.
“Hindi naman tayo colony, hindi naman tayo subjects nila. Bakit tayo sige bow sa kanila?”
Dela Rosa also said he would be willing to face any case in the Philippines rather than abroad, emphasizing his preference for domestic proceedings.
“When you say na harapin ko yung kaso dito sa ating Pilipinas, [ikagagalak] ko ’yan, ipagmamayabang ko ’yan na harapin ko dito sa ating bansa,” he said.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has previously drawn criticism from Philippine officials over its assertion of jurisdiction in cases involving alleged crimes against humanity tied to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
At present, dela Rosa, who is one of Duterte’s closest allies, is also facing the possibility of an arrest warrant from the international tribunal.
