Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said on Friday, August 2, that he feels "betrayed" given the latest developments of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into killings during the drug war of the past administration.
"I feel betrayed. Pag ganoon ang nagiging polisiya ng ating gobyerno (If that will be the government's policy), I feel betrayed as a Filipino. I feel betrayed by my government kapag ganun ang polisiya nila (if their policy will be as such)," he said in a radio interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo.
Dela Rosa was referring to the ICC's recent moves as well as pronouncements from government officials despite President Marcos' undeterred stand that the ICC has no jurisdiction in the country.
According to Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra, the prosecutor of the ICC has sought the assistance of the Philippine government in the interview of five incumbent and former officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on their alleged involvement in the killings during the drug war of the past administration.
Guevarra said the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) received this month of July the request from the ICC prosecutor.
He said: "The Philippines disengaged completely from the ICC in 2019. It has no legal duty to lend any assistance to the ICC prosecutor in conducting his investigation."
But, he pointed out that “the Philippine government cannot stop him (ICC prosecutor) from proceeding any way he wants.”
On the other hand, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said the Philippine government cannot stop the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) from serving the arrest warrants that may be issued by the ICC against Filipino suspects.
Remulla pointed out that “we are not in the business of blocking any movement of the Interpol, unless a policy is laid out, which of course will go against our international commitments.”
Dela Rosa said that it's up to the government to determine how to deal with these moves from the ICC.
"Wala kaming control dyan. Sila man nasa gobyerno ngayon. Kung ano talagang gusto nila kung laban-bawi man sila, kung yan ang policy nila, laban-bawi, so be it. Wala man kami ang magawa dahil sila man nandiyan sa Malacañang. Hindi naman kami (We have no control over it. They're the ones in tovernment. Whatever they do with it, if they're indecisive, if that's their policy, being indecisive, so be it. We can't do anything because they're the ones there in Malacañang. Not us)," he said.
He added that he has no intention of reaching out to the Palace regarding this.
Should the ICC reach out to him for the interview, he said that they are welcome to interview him anytime,
"Kung makipag-communicate sila sa akin, walang problema gusto nila interview, you can interview me anytime. Mag-interview lang sila. Pero it doesn't mean na yumuyuko ako sa kanilang jurisdiction over us. Kung gusto nila mag-usap sasagutin ko ang tanong nila pero it doesnt mean nirerecognize ko ang kanilang jurisdiction (If they will communicate with me and they want an interview, they can interview me anytime. They can interview. But it doesn't; mean that I'm recognizing their jurisdiction over us. If they want to talk to me I will answer their questions but it doesn't mean that I recognize their jurisdiction)," he added.
Despite these developments and pronouncements, Dela Rosa said that he remains unbothered because he trusts the President.
"Hindi ako nababother dahil naniwala ako sa ating Pangulo. Pangulo na natin nagsasabi na hindi siya magko-cooperate at hindi niya nirecognize ang jurisdiction ng ICC sa ating bansa (I'm unbothered by this since I believe in our President. Our President himself said that he will not cooperate and he does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the country)," he added.
Back in June, the President said that former senator Leila de Lima's acquittal from all her drug-related charges only showed that the Philippines' justice system works and does not need the intervention of the ICC.