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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Cayetano urges Senate to uphold rule of law amid rumored ICC arrest warrant vs Dela Rosa

Cayetano urges Senate to uphold rule of law amid rumored ICC arrest warrant vs Dela Rosa

Published Nov 8, 2025 03:00 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged the Senate leadership to uphold the rule of law and institutional integrity in response to the alleged issuance of an ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, as he emphasized the need to observe fairness, due process, and equality before the law.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday, Nov. 8 called on the Senate leadership to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the institution following reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) allegedly issued an arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano (Senate PRIB photo)
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano (Senate PRIB photo)
In a statement, Cayetano urged the Senate to “protect both the institution and the integrity of our laws", and said that the upper chamber must stand not for privilege but for fairness.
“I call on the Senate leadership to uphold this principle by protecting both the institution and the integrity of our laws,” Cayetano said.
“Let us show that the Senate stands not for privilege, but for fairness — that we will uphold for our members only what we are willing to uphold for every Filipino: justice without bias, and equality before the law,” he added.
Cayetano’s remarks came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla revealed that the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
Dela Rosa, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is being linked to the controversial drug war. Duterte is currently detained at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, facing similar charges.
Cayetano emphasized that faith, principle, and adherence to due process must guide the country’s response to such developments.
“No one is above the law, and no one is beneath its protection,” he said, as he stressed that every Filipino — “whether senator or citizen” — deserves equal treatment under the law.
He also cited the Supreme Court’s (SC) Rules on Extradition Proceedings, and said that justice must always be “rooted in law and due process, not in bias or emotion".
“Opinions change, but principles remain. That is how we preserve justice and protect democracy,” he added.
Cayetano warned against the use of the law as a political weapon and said that genuine justice must serve truth, not personal or partisan interests.
“Justice must never be used to settle political scores, but to serve truth,” he said.
“The law must not be a weapon to divide us, but a bridge that unites us in fairness, trust, and faith in the system we all depend on,” he further said.

Related Tags

Alan Cayetano Senate of the Philippines Bato Dela Rosa International Criminal Court
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