Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who played a central role in the execution of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s aggressive anti-drug campaign, acknowledged on Thursday that human rights violations occurred during the operation.
Dela Rosa, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, openly admitted, “Hindi ko sinabi na walang nangyayaring human rights violation during the war on drugs, aminado tayo diyan na merong mga kaso na talagang na-violate yung right ng tao.” Despite these violations, he asserted that law enforcement officers who overstepped their bounds faced legal consequences. “Nakasuhan nga yung mga pulis, di ba? Kaya nga na-convict yung mga pulis na yun di ba?” he added in an ABS-CBN News report.
The drug war, which human rights organizations claim resulted in the deaths of thousands of alleged drug users, is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Nevertheless, Dela Rosa urged detractors to present their cases within the Philippine judicial system. “If they have the goods, they have the evidence, then why not file in court?” he challenged.
Highlighting the ongoing inquiry by the House of Representatives into the drug war, Dela Rosa suggested that this domestic scrutiny negates the need for ICC intervention. “Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa kanila sa ginagawa nilang imbestigasyon… It only goes to show to the international community that the criminal justice system here is perfectly functioning,” he stated.
Dela Rosa also reiterated the Philippine government’s stance against cooperating with the ICC, emphasizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s consistent position on the matter. “As far as I know the President is very consistent in his statements, hindi siya nagbabago kahit na marami ang gustong baguhin ang kanyang statement,” he said. President Marcos reaffirmed this stance on Thursday.
