Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Saturday, Nov. 8, that the Senate will not allow the arrest of any sitting senator within its premises, following reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
Sotto clarified that he has no personal knowledge of the warrant’s issuance but reaffirmed the Senate’s long-standing policy of safeguarding its members while inside the institution.
“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,” he said.
“Outside the Senate premises, that’s no longer our concern,” he added.
Sotto’s statement came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla bared that the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa in connection with alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. (Dhel Nazario)
