Reelectionist Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has condemned the Communist Part of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) saying they were actively pursuing the filing of criminal cases against former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During his speech at the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Sogod, Southern Leyte, Dela Rosa claimed the CPP-NPA has been pushing for Duterte’s prosecution overseas because the members of international body have no idea of what is happening in the Philippines.
“Gusto nila sa ICC kasi yung mga tao dun, walang alam sa nangyayari sa Pilipinas kaya madali nilang maloko dahil ang nasa likod ng pagsasampa ng kaso ngayon ay yung mga NPA, mga CPP-NPA na galit (They want him prosecuted before the ICC because the people there don't know what's happening in the Philippines, so they can easily be fooled because the ones behind the filing of the case now are the NPA, the CPP-NPA who are angry),” Dela Rosa said.
“Galit talaga sa pagkakapresidente ni Digong dahil nawala ang kanilang mga puwersa. Galit na galit kaya gusto nilang gumanti (They were really angry with Digong's presidency because they lost their forces. They are so angry that they want to retaliate),” he added.
The lawmaker then called on constituents of Southern Leyte to unite against the persecution of Duterte and his allies.
“Kaya ako’y nananawagan sa inyo, magkaisa tayo. Dahil kung hindi tayo magkaisa, patuloy lang tayong aapihin. Magkaisa tayo! Magpursige tayo (That is why I am calling on you, let us unite. Because if we are not united, we will continue to be oppressed. Let us unite! Let us persevere)!” Dela Rosa appealed.
The former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief earlier slammed the arrest of the former president, tagging it as “kidnapping” and not in line with due process.
Dela Rosa, who was the chief implementer of the Duterte administration’s infamous “Oplan Tokhang” insisted that the constitutional rights of the former president were violated when authorities surrendered him to the ICC.
Duterte and Dela Rosa earlier filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to permanently prohibit the Philippine government from cooperating with the ICC.