Malacañang has reinforced its stance that Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa could face arrest if the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a warrant in connection with the crimes against humanity case involving former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin clarified there is currently no warrant for Dela Rosa, but the government is prepared to act if one is issued through proper international channels.
“If there should be a warrant, we will probably do the same thing that we did in the case of the former President,” Bersamin said on Sunday during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s departure for the U.S. at Villamor Air Base. He noted that as a member of Interpol, the Philippines is obligated to cooperate with such requests.
Duterte was arrested on March 11 following a warrant from the ICC and was flown to The Hague for trial. The case stems from alleged crimes committed during his anti-drug campaign from 2011 to 2019, a period when the Philippines was still part of the Rome Statute.
Bersamin emphasized the government’s actions were based on legal compliance with Republic Act No. 9851, which upholds accountability for international crimes. He defended the administration’s handling of Duterte’s arrest, saying, “Our judgment, the President’s judgment was that the surrender option was the better one.”
He also dismissed concerns of political bias: “There is nothing discriminatory that we will ever undertake… We are not the ones who will make politically motivated actions.”
Bersamin is currently one of three Cabinet members appointed to oversee national affairs during Marcos’ trip, alongside Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III.
A March 13 ICC document linked Duterte to multiple unnamed “coconspirators” in the ongoing case. Dela Rosa, who previously served as national police chief under Duterte, has long been associated with the controversial drug war.
