The Department of Justice (DOJ) has directed all law enforcement agencies to implement the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa for crimes against humanity in connection with the previous administration’s bloody drug war.
DOJ Secretary Fredderick Vida issued the order—covering the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)—a day after the Supreme Court rejected Dela Rosa’s plea to block the ICC warrant.
Vida outlined four premises justifying the directive:
- The ICC’s valid arrest warrant naming Dela Rosa as a co-perpetrator in the drug war.
- Confirmation that Dela Rosa left the Senate, which had granted him protective custody.
- The Supreme Court’s denial of his request for a temporary restraining order (TRO).
- The enforceability of the ICC warrant.
“Based on all these four basic premises, I would like to confirm that Philippine law enforcement agencies, including the PNP and the NBI, are now tasked to effect the arrest of Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” Vida said.
DOJ spokesperson Raphael Martinez added that the Supreme Court’s decision cleared the way for enforcement. “The ICC warrant has always been valid and enforceable. The government recognizes it as valid and enforceable,” he said.
Some senators had earlier questioned the ICC warrant and granted protective custody to Dela Rosa after his role in ousting Vicente Sotto III as Senate president. DOJ previously held off on enforcement to respect the Senate as a co-equal branch of government, but Martinez said the Supreme Court ruling changed that: “The directive now is to enforce it.”
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the entire police force will be mobilized to find and arrest Dela Rosa.
“SOJ (Secretary of Justice) is lead. It is a legal matter which he has say over. We are operational within the bounds of the law. The ball is in his court,” Remulla explained.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. echoed that the DOJ is in the best position to decide.
“We in the PNP are not the sole decision-maker on this particular issue. There are still legal matters involved so we are waiting for the final guidance of the DOJ in relation to the recent decision of the Supreme Court,” he said.
Remulla confirmed that with the Supreme Court ruling, the hunt will begin. Asked if 10,000 policemen would be mobilized, he replied: “It’s 225,000. That’s the entire PNP.”
Nartatez said the PNP’s Maritime Group and Aviation Security Group have been alerted against any attempt by Dela Rosa to leave the country.
Coordination with the Bureau of Immigration showed no record of Dela Rosa traveling abroad.
Police forces have been ordered to intensify monitoring of all exit points, including southern backdoor routes. NBI Director Melvin Matibag warned that fleeing would be futile, as 122 countries are committed to enforcing ICC warrants. (Aaron Recuenco)
