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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bato Dela Rosa: I'm ready to join the 'old man'

Bato Dela Rosa: I'm ready to join the 'old man'

Published Mar 12, 2025 09:48 am

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa finally broke his silence on Wednesday, March 12, saying he is ready to join former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Hague where he is to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity due to his administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.


Dela Rosa made the statement after the Supreme Court (SC) junked his and the former leader’s petition calling the SC to stop the implementation of thr arrest warrant against him and prohibiting the Philippine government from cooperating with the international tribunal.


“If all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then I don’t want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat,” Dela Rosa said in a statement sent through Viber.


“I am ready to join the old man hoping that they would allow me to take care of him,” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief said.


Dela Rosa who is also subject of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the so-called brutal war on drugs by the Duterte administration, has been silent since rumors of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC surfaced over the weekend.


The releectionist senator was conspicuously absent during the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban) campaign rally in Hong Kong on Sunday, but sent a video message for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) audience at the event.


The former president, his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte, was present at the venue. During the event in Hong Kong, Mr. Duterte hinted of an impending arrest warrant against him by the ICC but once again defended his administration’s war on drugs.


Duterte was arrested by authorities on Tuesday, March 11 after the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) served the arrest warrant against him upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).


He was flown to the Hague to face the ICC where he is charged for the crime of murder as a crime against humanity.



Related Tags

War on drugs The Hague ICC probe crimes against humanity Rodrigo Duterte Bato dela Rosa
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