Sotto: Senate won't allow any senator's arrest within its premises
By Dhel Nazario
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Saturday, Nov. 8, that the Senate will not permit the arrest of a senator within its premises, following reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa.
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III (Senate PRIB photo)
In a statement, Sotto said he has no personal knowledge of the warrant’s issuance but reiterated the Senate’s long-standing policy of protecting 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.
Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under then-president Rodrigo Duterte, who is now detained at The Hague, Netherlands, with the ICC on similar allegations.