If ICC arrest warrant comes for Bato, Malacañang will serve it

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, in the past week, has vacillated from being cocksure that he was ready to “join” his former boss, Rodrigo Duterte, who is in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to hoping that Senate President Chiz Escudero would offer him protection should he be served an arrest warrant too. 

It’s been said before that Dela Rosa seems to be preempting events that may or may not come, but he does have reason to be worried. The former national police chief confirmed previously that he had  received communication from the ICC — which he ignored. 

The former police chief and drug war “architect” — currently running for reelection as senator — was noticeably missing in action on March 11, when the Philippine police implemented the ICC warrant, which had been transmitted to Manila through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

Asked if the Philippines would follow the same process if another warrant were issued, say, for Dela Rosa, Palace Communication Undersecretary Clarissa Castro said the implementation of warrants can’t be “selective.” 

“Pareho pa rin po. Hindi po kasi tayo puwedeng mamili. Kung ito po ay ginawa po at nakipag-coordinate, makipagtulungan tayo sa Interpol dahil ang dating Pangulo po ang subject po ng warrant of arrest, hindi po tayo puwedeng mamili, wala pong puwedeng special treatment,” Castro said in a briefing with the media on Friday, March 14.

(It’s the same. We cannot be selective. If we coordinated and cooperated with Interpol when the former president was the subject of an arrest warrant, then we can’t be selective [if another warrant comes], we can’t accord special treatment [to anybody].) 

“So, kung mangyayari po ito sa iba pang mga suspects na may warrant of arrest, basta valid po iyong warrant of arrest, at ito ay nai-course through the Interpol, gagawin pa rin po natin kung ano po iyong dapat gawin ng gobyerno,” she added. 

(So if it happens that other suspects are issued arrest warrants, as long as these are valid and coursed through the Interpol, the government will do what it can.) 

Dela Rosa has called the Palace’s reasoning “bullshit.” He’s pointed out — correctly — that, at the end of the day, Interpol cooperation is a choice by the sitting government. 

But that’s exactly what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said, when he addressed the public after the chartered jet that would bring Duterte to The Hague left Philippine airspace. 

“Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don’t do that, they will not — they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad. This is what the international community expects of us as the leader of a democratic country that is part of the community of nations,” said Marcos. 

Dela Rosa has also ranted about Marcos supposedly breaking a promise that the ICC would not get its way with him. Castro said the supposed assurance was not a topic in her last meeting with the President. 

A major component of the years-long drug war was “Oplan Tokhang” — literally, a “knock and plead” operation that was meant to encourage “known” drug users to change their ways. This was originated by Dela Rosa when he was police chief of Davao City under now-Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the former president. 

On paper, “tokhang” was meant to give people a second chance; on the ground, it was shorthand for the death of suspected drug users and pushers, supposedly because they had fought back. (READ:
How Duterte’s ‘nanlaban’ directive in drug war corrupted police work)

Human rights groups estimate that over 27,000 died in the name of the drug war — either in police operations or killings by hired killers. When he was police chief, Dela Rosa insisted that all police operations were above board. 

From being willing to join Duterte in the ICC to hoping the Senate would shield him from arrest, what will it really be for the tough-talking war “architect?” – Rappler.com