Malacañang said there is still no confirmation on whether an arrest warrant has been issued against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and others linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
“Sa ngayon, wala pa po tayong natatanggap na anumang communication kung mayroon na pong warrant of arrest para sa mga co-perpetrators ni dating Pangulong Duterte,” Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Thursday, July 17.
Castro said this after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told Kyodo News that the Philippines may arrest Dela Rosa, who served as the Philippine National Police chief during the implementation of the drug war, if the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a warrant over the deadly anti-drug campaign.
Duterte was arrested by Philippine authorities in March through an arrest warrant issued by the ICC, which was coursed through the Interpol.
Although the Philippine government is no longer a member of the ICC since 2019, when Duterte withdrew from the Rome Statute, the Marcos administration has an obligation to the Interpol to act on the notice. (Betheena Unite)
