Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday, January 22, called on the Marcos administration to formally confirm claims investigators from the International Criminal Court (ICC) have already concluded their investigation against former President Rodrigo Duterte and other personalities linked to the brutal anti-illegal drugs campaign of the previous administration.
Dela Rosa pointed this out following claims made by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV who said that the ICC investigators have already wrapped up their investigation into Duterte’s war on drugs and that an arrest warrant may be issued “very, very soon” against Duterte and him.
Dela Rosa is one of the respondents in the case, having been then the chief implementor of the Duterte administration’s “Oplan Tokhang” when he was then the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
In a press conference at the Senate, Dela Rosa admitted he wouldn’t be able to hide his disappointment should Trillanes’ allegations were true and would only validate the changes in the Marcos administration’s stance regarding the ICC.
“Kung totoo, magbago talaga ang tingin ko, to the extent na laban bawi pala sila. Ganun pala sila, laban bawi sila. Ganun ang magiging tingin ko. Granting totoo yung sinabi ni Trillanes (If it’s true, then my perspective will change, to the extent that they truly are fickle-minded. That’s what I think. Granting that Trillanes’ allegations are true),” Dela Rosa told reporters in the interview.
“Ako ang pakiusap ko lang is prankahan: usapang lalaki. Kung gusto nyong imbestigahan kami, kung gusto niyo kaming makulong, then sabihan niyo kami ng harap-harapan. Huwag yung iba yung sinasabi, iba yung nangyayayri.. di ba? Yun lang pakiusap namin (Our only request is let’s be frank: let’s discuss it like a man. If you want us to be investigated, if you want us to be imprisoned, then just tell it to our face. Don’t say something and yet you are doing another thing. That’s our appeal),” the senator said.
Nevertheless, Dela Rosa said he is ready to participate in the investigation provided that the government allows and orders for their participation.
“As I have said, I am a citizen of this country. I am duty-bound, morally-bound to obey the government,” he said.
“Kapag sinabi ng gobyerno na pwedeng puntahan lang, sige mag-cooperate sa investigation, bakit hindi kami susunod? Di ba? Pero kung sinabi ng gobyerno na wala yan, di pwede mag-imbestiga yan.. di pwede, di tayo papayagan, then pailalim pala ang pagpasok dito, pero may underground na pagpayag, then, pano kami makapag handa ng sarili namin kung ganun (If the government said we can go and cooperate in the investigation, why won’t we follow? But if the government shrugs it off, say that they cannot investigation, that they won’t allow it, and yet they allowed their entry here, then how can we prepare ourselves if that’s the case)?” he pointed out.
Dela Rosa said his initial stance on the ICC probe was not to cooperate because it was what President Marcos had initially stated from the start.
“Hindi ako magco-cooperate dahil sinabi ng gobyerno natin hindi tayo mag coo coperate. Sino ako para mag cooperate? No less than the President sabi niya di tayo mag cooperate. At hindi niya ia-allow ang ICC to come in then bakit ako mag cooperate (I do not want to cooperate because the government said we will not cooperate. Who am I to cooperate? When no less than the President said we will not cooperate. And he that he will not allow the ICC to come in, so why will I cooperate)?” he pointed out.
“Pero pag sinabi ng presidente na mag cooperate tayo (but if the president said we will now cooperate), I am a citizen of this republic, I am bound by laws, then susunod ako (I will follow),” he stressed.
It would also be another matter should the ICC issues an arrest warrant against him on the basis of the testimony of the victims in the case.
“Kung ang kanilang pinag iinterview lang ‘yung side ng mga namatayan kuno, sa war on drugs, yun lang na interview nila at yung mga akusado di nila kinunan ng panig, (if they were only able to interview the side of the so-called victims of the war on drugs, if they ony interviewed them but not the accused), then that’s a very partial investigation,” Dela Rosa pointed out.
“So if that partial investigation will lead to the issuance of a warrant of arrest, then depende na sa gobyerno natin kung iimplement nila yung warrant of arrest (then that depends on the government if they will implement the arrest warrant),” he said.