Robin Padilla to Bato dela Rosa: Never surrender to foreign power

MANILA, Philippines– Never surrender to foreign power.

This was Sen. Robin Padilla’s advice to Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa amid reports that a warrant of arrest has already been issued against him  by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“We have no contact with Senator Bato. He’s careful. He used to be a soldier/policeman, and he knows that our cell phones may be monitored,” Padilla said in a message to reporters.

READ: Harry Roque claims ICC warrant vs Bato dela Rosa already ‘out’

“My advice to him is to never surrender to a foreign power,” he added.

Dela Rosa headed the Philippine National Police during the time of then President Rodrigo Duterte.

Both have been charged with crimes against humanity before the ICC in connection with their war on drugs that resulted in the deaths of thousands drug suspects.

The senator has been notably absent in the Senate since Nov. 10  after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed in a radio interview that the ICC has already been issued against the senator.

READ: ICC says it cannot confirm arrest warrant vs Bato dela Rosa

The same claim was made by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a Facebook post over the weekend. 

Duterte, on the other hand, has been detained at the ICC in the Netherlands since March. /dl