Dela Rosa on HK absence: ‘I got info ahead of ICC arrest warrant’

MANILA, Philippines — Why was Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa absent from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) event at Hong Kong last weekend prior to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest?

He said it was because he received information that the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for the ex-leader was out.

The senator told this to supporters at a rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Saturday to call for Duterte’s release from the ICC custodial facility in The Hague, Netherlands, a day after the former president’s first appearance before the international tribunal.

“Hindi ako sumama sa Hong Kong dahil sa gabi na iyon, alas tres ng madaling araw dapat ang byahe papuntang Hong Kong, pero mayroong nag-leak sa akin ng information. Hindi pa rin tulog ang Diyos,” Dela Rosa said.

(I did not go with them to Hong Kong that night, my flight to Hong Kong was supposed to be at three early morning, but someone leaked information to me. The Lord never sleeps.)

“Ang sabi na, ‘Sabihan mo sila na may warrant na si President Duterte at si Bato. Huhulihin sila pagbalik nila dito galing sa Hong Kong,’” he added.

(They said, ‘Tell me that there’s a warrant for President Duterte and Bato. They’ll be arrested when they return from Hong Kong.’)

“So, tinawagan ko si ES (Executive Secretary) Bingbong Medialdea. Sabi ko, ’Sir, mayroon na warrant. Hindi na ako hahabol diyan. Asikasuhin ko na lang ’yung petition natin dito, petition for certiorari and prohibition. Kinoordinate ko ’yung ating mga abogado, sina Attorney (Israelito) Torreon,” the senator further said.

(So, I called ES Bingbong Medialdea. I said, ‘Sir, there’s a warrant. I won’t go there anymore. I’ll just help with our petition here, petition for certiorari and prohibition.’ I coordinated with our lawyers, Attorney Torreon and others.)

Dela Rosa did not disclose from whom he received the information.

Duterte’s arrest

Prior to the PDP event in Hong Kong, reports said the ICC already issued a warrant for the former president’s arrest.

Dela Rosa skipped the PDP event at Hong Kong with overseas Filipinos on March 8.

Then on March 10, the ICC told INQUIRER.net that an arrest order would come from official channels.

READ: ICC on Duterte arrest order: Announcement to come from official channels

Early morning on March 11, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) Manila received the official copy of the warrant, according to the Palace.

READ: Palace confirms arrest warrant from ICC for Rodrigo Duterte

However, contrary to Dela Rosa’s speech, the warrant was only for Duterte—not for him.

Nonetheless, Dela Rosa joined Duterte in a petition before the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction to stop the national government from assisting the ICC.

READ: Duterte, dela Rosa ask SC to stop gov’t from cooperating with ICC

Upon his arrival from Hong Kong on March 11 morning, Duterte was arrested by authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and transferred to the neighboring Villamor Air Base.

It was there that Duterte was held for around 12 hours before being flown out on a chartered flight to The Hague, the Netherlands to face the ICC.

Dela Rosa was not seen and was unreachable to the media during the ordeal.

The day after Duterte’s arrest, the reelectionist senator broke his silence, saying he was not hiding from authorities and was instead “campaigning in the mountains of Surigao and Agusan.”

READ: ‘Hindi ako nagtatago’ – Sen. Bato dela Rosa

The warrant against Duterte alleged crimes against humanity committed from November 2011 to March 2019 in connection with the former president’s bloody war on drugs.

At least 6,000 perished in Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign, according to government sources.

However, human rights watchdogs estimated the death toll is anywhere between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.

Dela Rosa was Duterte’s first Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, instrumental in launching the nationwide campaign against illegal drugs, landing him among a roster of officials named in the ICC case.