Vice President Sara Duterte said she is willing to recommend a British international law expert to serve as Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s counsel should the International Criminal Court (ICC) move forward with an arrest.
In an Inquirer.net report, Duterte said she had no confirmed information about any warrant but revealed that she had already cautioned dela Rosa months ago to prepare for possible ICC action.
“What I told him was that his preparation should begin with choosing an international law expert, a lawyer with experience before the ICC, who can advise him on what steps he should take,” Duterte recalled.
She added that she had contacted dela Rosa’s family earlier. “I told Rocky that if Senator Bato dela Rosa is interested in getting a lawyer, I can recommend one – a British counsel based in England, an international law expert,” she told reporters.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier claimed the ICC had ordered dela Rosa’s arrest, naming him as a potential co-accused alongside former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is now detained in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, however, clarified that while the ICC may have issued the warrant, it has not yet been transmitted through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief at the onset of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs in 2016, remains a key figure in the controversial “Oplan Tokhang” campaign that left at least 6,000 people dead according to official records, though human rights groups estimate the toll to be much higher.
