Dela Rosa admits attempt to disguise himself failed

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. Senate PRIB file photo

MANILA, Philippines — He tried to hide by wearing a cap, a mask and a jacket, but his attempt to disguise himself failed.

This happened while he was in Bicol, according to Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

“Hindi kaya (It didn’t work),” he said when asked in a phone interview on Tuesday if he would disguise to evade the possible arrest on the order of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Dela Rosa and former President Rodrigo Duterte are facing charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

“Tinry ko na nagcap-cap ako, nagjacket ako, nag mas- mask ako, nakita ako ng isang tao dun sa Bicol. Sabi sakin nung  tao na nagbebenta  dun sa Bicol ng kamote: Kilala kita!  Si Bato ka! Si Bato ka,” Dela Rosa said.

(I tried wearing a cap, a jacket, and a mask, but someone saw me in Bicol. The person selling sweet potatoes in Bicol said to me: ‘I know you! You’re Bato! You’re Bato!’)

“Sabi ko, wala na patay na kaya napilitan tuloy ako na bumili ng tinitinda nyang kamote dahil mag-iingay man na andun ako. Nakita ako eh. Kilala kita si Bato ka,”  he added.

(I was forced to buy the sweet potato she was selling because they would make noise if they saw me there. They saw me: ‘I know you, you’re Bato.’)

Amid the threat of a possible arrest, Dela Rosa continues to go around the country to campaign for his reelection bid in the May 2025 elections.

Though he initially wanted to seek protection from the Senate, Dela Rosa later admitted that he was also considering hiding to evade the ICC arrest.

READ: Bato dela Rosa to seek Senate protection from ICC

He also repeatedly said that he would only allow to get caught if an order to arrest him would come from a local court, and not from the ICC.

The ICC’s investigation into the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs prompted the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The withdrawal only became effective a year.

Despite the withdrawal, however,  ICC retained its jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in the country when it was still a member from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.