Bato dela Rosa intends to visit Duterte in The Hague: ‘I’ll wear a wig’

Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa wants to visit former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague in the Netherlands.

In an ambush interview on Thursday, dela Rosa shared to reporters his desire to apply for a Schengen visa.

“Kung issue-han ako, then maybe kung may pagkakataon, before the elections, sana makabisita ako sa kanya,” said dela Rosa.

(If I get issued a visa, maybe if there’s a chance, I hope I can visit him.)

At this point, he was asked if he was concerned about the possibility of being detained with Duterte.

He dismissed this scenario by simply saying that he would go in disguise so that arresting officers would not recognize him.

“Sige lang kung i-detain nila ako do’n. Magpunta ako do’n sa The Hague [at] mag-wig ako para hindi nila ako makilala doon,” he said in jest.

(Go ahead it they will detain me. I’ll go to The Hague and I’ll wear a wig so that they won’t recognize me.)

He then jokingly told reporters that he has a variety of wigs – including that of an afro – and that with these items, he is confident he will no longer be recognized.

Later in the interview, he was asked if he is serious about visiting The Hague.

Dela Rosa answered in the affirmative.

He said he is eyeing to apply for a visa before or after the May 2025 elections—regardless of whether or not he gets reelected as a senator.

Dela Rosa is facing charges of crimes against humanity for the role he played in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

As Duterte’s former top cop, de la Rosa issued Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016 when he assumed office as PNP chief.

The memorandum was the basis for Project Double Barrel which started Duterte’s war on drugs.

The mission was later dubbed as Oplan Tokhang.

Atty. Kristina Conti, an ICC assistant to a counsel, earlier told INQUIRER.net that after Duterte’s arrest, dela Rosa and retired police chief Oscar Albayalde could be the next to receive arrest warrants from the ICC.

She said this will be for crimes against humanity over their roles in the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign.