3 days ago
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In the hours leading up to the Philippines’ decision to fly former president Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague to face a case of crimes against humanity over his drug war, tensions rose and fell inside and outside the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
It was through youngest daughter Kitty that the media and the rest of the Philippines learned about the negotiations and short-lived standoff that was taking place between the former president and Philippine law enforcement.
Just before the chartered plane left for Dubai en route to the Netherlands, eldest daughter Vice President Sara Duterte tried — in vain — to enter the airbase, which at that point was surrounded by police to secure the perimeter.
Duterte’s long-time aide, Senator Bong Go, also made a scene of trying to bring pizza into the lounge where the former president, partner Honeylet, and several close aides, were waiting.
But there is one prominent personality whose absence was felt throughout the entire process: Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, former president Duterte’s loyal soldier and top cop, who oversaw the bloody “war on drugs.”
Messages sent to Senator Dela Rosa’s personal number — on iMessage and Viber — were left only on delivered. Calls had also been left unanswered.
The police general-turned-senator broke his silence, in a Facebook post and with a phone call to the media.
Not hiding
“If all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then I don’t want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat. I am ready to join the old man hoping that they would allow me to take care of him,” said Dela Rosa in a Facebook post on March 12.
What does “ready to join” mean? If a warrant comes for him, Dela Rosa said, he’s “ready” — to join the former president.
Dela Rosa also told reporters he was still in the Philippines, even as he disclosed that it’d be easy to “run” even without leading the country’s borders. “I can run and I can use some connections to hide. Napakalaki ng Pilipinas (The Philippines is such a big country),” he said.
“Hindi ako nagtatago. Andito lang ako (I’m not hiding. I’m just here),” he said. The senator said, as he chuckled, that he was in the mountains of Agusan and Surigao in Mindanao.
But why was he so far away as his former boss and colleagues dealt with their biggest crisis (or comeuppance) to date? He was busy fixing their petition before the Supreme Court. The appeal for a Temporary Restraining Order was denied.
Dela Rosa had been scant since the weekend, or after Rappler first broke news that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest against Duterte.
The senator, who is seeking a fresh six-year term in 2025, was absent from the Hong Kong campaign sortie that Duterte, Vice President Duterte, Go, and several other personalities from the former president’s circle, attended. Dela Rosa’s only appearance in Hong Kong was through a video message.
On Monday, March 10, the day before Duterte was arrested, Dela Rosa was going around Mindanao to meet with mayors and governors, his staff said.
Dela Rosa’s office, save for news about a petition filed before the Supreme Court, stayed quiet for all of Tuesday, March 11. His office, through his media officer, has been scant with updates, except for telling the media that the bulk of his staff aren’t at the Senate because it’s campaign season and everyone is out campaigning.
ICC
To be clear, there’s no confirmed reason for him to go into hiding or to think that a warrant from the ICC is also (or already) out for him — neither Rappler nor Philippine authorities have gotten wind of such. Dela Rosa said he also had no information of an arrest warrant.
But if you’re one to overthink, there’s this to think about: Dela Rosa previously confirmed that he’s received communication from the ICC — which he has ignored. That could mean Dela Rosa is among those considered under suspicion in the ICC Office the Prosecutor’s investigation into Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
Dela Rosa was appointed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2016, at the same time Duterte rose to power. It was under Dela Rosa’s watch that the national police implemented, across the country, a drug war that would claim over 30,000 lives, according to human rights groups.
Oplan Tokhang, a component of the drug war, was Dela Rosa’s brainchild. Tokhang, on paper, was meant to be a literal “knock and plead” operation to convince alleged drug users and pushers to change their ways. But on the ground, tokhang was shorthand for bloody police operations that often resulted in deaths.
The retired general and the Duterte clan go a long way back — Dela Rosa’s first deployment as a young lieutenant of the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary in 1986 was to Davao, just as Rodrigo Duterte was appointed acting vice mayor.
The two grew close, Dela Rosa himself told Rappler in 2016. Duterte even stood as principal sponsor when Dela Rosa got married.
Before the 2016 election, which Duterte dominated, Dela Rosa had warm words for his wedding godfather: “I never feared to enforce the law and prevent crimes because you are always there watching my back. To the greatest leader on Earth, Mayor RRD, happy birthday Sir!”
Dela Rosa was just as bombastic and rich in rhetoric as PNP chief — and later as senator — as Duterte, his former boss and the “greatest leader on Earth.” As PNP chief, Dela Rosa insisted that operations were all above board, even as the body count in the drug war grew steadily. – Rappler.com
