Dela Rosa's camp issues statement amid alleged ICC warrant
Following news that the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, his lawyer on Saturday called for caution, saying that they have yet to receive confirmation.
In a statement, Atty. Israelito P. Torreon said that they have been made aware of reports claiming that a warrant for Dela Rosa has been issued. He stressed, however, that they could not independently verify the accuracy of the report.
“We therefore urge the public and the media to exercise caution and restraint in sharing or interpreting such reports until verified information is officially released by competent authorities or by the ICC itself,” he said.
Torreon asserted that if the reports were verified, the Philippine Government was expected to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution.
"If proven true, we trust that the Philippine Government will act in accordance with the rule of law, and that any such action shall first pass through the proper local judicial confirmation process consistent with our Constitution, due process, and the sovereign rights of the Republic of the Philippines," he continued.
"For now, we shall await official confirmation before making any further statement on the matter," Torreon ended.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured Dela Rosa that he will not be arrested while in Senate premises; however, the leadership could not intervene if such an action occurred outside.
“I am not (privy) to the warrant being issued. But as I have said in the past and in consultation with some members of the Senate—to preserve the dignity of the Senate, and as a matter of institutional courtesy, we cannot allow any senator to be arrested in the Senate premises,” Sotto said.
“Outside the Senate premises—that’s no longer our concern,” he added.
Both the Palace and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin commented on the issue, with Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stating that they have "no confirmation" of the report.
For his part, Bersamin revealed that Dela Rosa, unlike Duterte, won't be turned over right away to the ICC, following the Supreme Court's issuance of a new rule on extradition.
"The SC (Supreme Court) has since come out with a new rule on extradition requiring a prior resort to a court before the person subject of extradition may be brought out of the country," the executive secretary said.
Earlier on Saturday, Ombudsman Crispin Remulla claimed that a warrant of arrest had been issued against Dela Rosa by the ICC in connection with former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.
"I have it in good authority, kasi public interest na rin 'to... that the ICC has issued a warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa," Remulla said in an interview with DzRH on Saturday morning.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, meanwhile, said no red notice alert has been issued by the Interpol yet. (with reports from Marc Jayson Cayabyab and Alexis Romero)