Inatasan na ng Department of Justice (DOJ) ang Philippine National Police (PNP) at National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) na arestuhin si Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa batay sa warrant ng International Criminal Court (ICC) kaugnay ng drug war case.
Sinabi ni Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida nitong Huwebes na wala na si Dela Rosa sa Senate premises at enforceable na ang ICC arrest warrant matapos ibasura ng Supreme Court ang hiling niya para sa temporary restraining order (TRO) at status quo ante order (SQAO).
“The arrest warrant is enforceable,” ani Vida.
“I would like to confirm that the Philippine law enforcement agencies, which would include the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation, are now tasked to effect the arrest of Sen. Bato de la Rosa,” dagdag niya.
Diretso rin ang pahayag ni Vida sa status ni Dela Rosa.
“Sen. Bato is a fugitive from justice, and he should be brought to the ICC to face the charges before him,” sabi niya.
Ayon kay Vida, may koordinasyon na ang law enforcement agencies para ipatupad ang warrant.
“Definitely there’s coordination. Even if there’s no interim order from the Supreme Court, the same is now enforceable and the law enforcement agencies will enforce it,” ani Vida.
Hindi naman niya idinetalye ang magiging operasyon.
“These are operational matters that I cannot discuss,” sabi niya.
Tinanong din si Vida kung may lead na ang NBI kung nasaan si Dela Rosa.
“Yes, definitely I heard there are leads that they’re working on. There are definitely there are leads. As to the exact leads, I cannot discuss them,” ani Vida.
Nauna nang sinabi ng kampo ni Dela Rosa na kinikilala nila ang existence ng ICC warrant, pero hindi nila itinuturing na enforceable ito sa Pilipinas. Matapos ibasura ng Supreme Court ang TRO at SQAO request, sinabi ng kanyang mga abogado na respetado nila ang aksyon ng Korte, pero buhay pa rin ang main case.
“We respect the Honorable Court’s action on the application for interim relief. At the same time, it must be emphasized, with equal clarity, that the Supreme Court itself has stated that it acted only on the prayers for provisional relief,” ayon sa Law Firm of Torreon and Partners.
“The main case remains alive. The constitutional questions remain squarely before the Supreme Court–and those questions are grave: whether the liberty of a Filipino may be placed at the mercy of a foreign process without the intervention of a Philippine court,” dagdag ng kampo ni Dela Rosa.
Sa hiwalay na pahayag, nanawagan sina Atty. Joel R. Butuyan at Atty. Gilbert T. Andres, Philippine-based common legal representative of the victims sa kasong The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, kay President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na ipatupad agad ang ICC warrant laban kay Dela Rosa.
Ayon sa kanila, ang denial ng Supreme Court sa TRO at SQAO ay nangangahulugang wala nang legal impediment para ipatupad ang warrant alinsunod sa Republic Act No. 9851.
“The Supreme Court’s May 20 denial of dela Rosa’s prayer for a TRO and/or status quo ante order (SQAO) means that there is no legal impediment for Pres. Marcos to implement the ICC arrest warrant against dela Rosa in accordance with RA 9851 which recognizes crimes against humanity as a crime under Philippine law and provides Philippine authorities, in its Section 17, with the legal authority to surrender a suspect in the Philippines to the appropriate international court, such as the ICC.” /Bistado