MANILA — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, former top cop and staunch ally of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, has reversed his stance on the legality of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against his former boss.

Dela Rosa, who once spearheaded Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, admitted on Saturday that the arrest was legally sound after Duterte was detained by the ICC on March 11. “We’re not questioning the validity of the warrant because (Duterte) is already in the custody of the ICC,” Dela Rosa said during a DWIZ radio interview.

“Otherwise, Duterte should have been released (from detention) and returned to the country if there’s no warrant of arrest. So there’s no question about the validity of the warrant,” he added.

Dela Rosa Questions Sovereignty, Interpol’s Role

While conceding the warrant’s legitimacy, Dela Rosa took issue with the government’s cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in enforcing it.

“Why did we cooperate based on Interpol’s diffusion notice? Can the Interpol dictate on us? Are we not a sovereign state?” he asked, emphasizing that President Marcos should have rejected the request.

The senator argued that since the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 on Duterte’s orders, the arrest order should not have been entertained. Philippine officials, however, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, have defended the government’s actions, saying the handover was done at the request of Interpol, not the ICC.

Dela Rosa Fires Back at Malacañang

In the same interview, Dela Rosa hit back at Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, who had earlier criticized his suggestion that he might evade arrest rather than face the ICC.

Speaking on DWIZ, he questioned whether Duterte’s arrest served the national interest. “What I’m about to do isn’t beneficial. But is what they’re doing good for our country? When they arrested and brought President Duterte to The Hague, was that good for our country? It may have improved their political standing by removing one Duterte as a competitor, but is that truly for the country’s benefit?”

“Ms. Castro, you think you’re all saints. My act of evading arrest may not be good, but is what you did beneficial for the country? Disrespecting our Constitution? Violating our sovereignty? The surrender of a Filipino to The Hague? Is that good for the Philippines?” Dela Rosa added.

At a press briefing, Castro dismissed Dela Rosa’s remarks. “Leaders should face legal complaints head-on,” she said. “It is not good for the people to see their leaders unwilling to address cases against them.”

‘I Will Not Leave My Comfort Zone’ – Dela Rosa

When asked how he would respond to a potential ICC warrant against him, Dela Rosa reiterated his opposition to the court’s authority, echoing Duterte’s defiance before his arrest and extradition to The Hague.

“Why will I face that warrant when we no longer recognize the ICC? That warrant has no jurisdiction over my person,” he said. “If that warrant was issued by the Supreme Court or the local courts, then I will face it. Why will I honor a warrant coming from a foreign entity whose jurisdiction no longer applies to us?”

Dela Rosa added, “I will not allow myself to be arrested”—but emphasized that he would not leave the Philippines to avoid capture. “I will not leave my comfort zone. My comfort zone is in the Philippines. Why would I go to another country? I am here in the Philippines. I was born here. I would die here in the country because I was born here.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero has reportedly offered refuge to Dela Rosa in the Senate building should legal proceedings escalate. “The Senate has, in the past, shielded its members from arrest as a matter of institutional courtesy,” Escudero said, emphasizing that the protection would apply particularly during sessions.

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