Bato: I will submit if PNP helps Interpol serve arrest warrant

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa won’t allow the International Criminal Police Organization–INTERPOL to arrest him over drug war deaths unless local authorities cooperate with Interpol.

”Kung lalabas ang arrest warrant at ito isi-serve sa akin ng taga-Interpol, I will not submit to their jurisdiction. They don’t have jurisdiction over us," dela Rosa told reporters.

However, he added, "Kung sila ay tutulungan ng ating kapulisan, well, hindi ako magkipag-giyera sa ating mga kapulisan. Kung iyan ang ipag-oorder ng atin pangulo, sino ba namang PNP ang hindi susunod sa ating pangulo.”
 
(If Interpol serves an arrest warrant against me, I won’t submit to their jurisdiction. But if the PNP assists them, I won’t go to war with our policemen. If the President issues the order, no one in the PNP will defy that.)

When earlier asked about the possibility of Interpol serving arrest warrants for drug war deaths during former President Rodrigo Duterte's Administration, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they respected the actions of Interpol "99% of the time" and Philippine law enforcement was not in the business of blocking any movement of Interpol, "unless a policy is laid out, which of course will go against our international commitments.” 

Meanwhile, dela Rosa said the PNP should only act based on rulings of local courts, not international authorities.

“I will submit to the authority of our government. Kung iyan ay kautusan ng iba other than our courts, I will not recognize it," said dela Rosa.

"Kung ang order ay nanggagaling sa Interpol, nanggagaling sa [International Criminal Court], I think dapat yung ating PNP should know how to distinguish between orders coming from their duly constituted authorities and orders not coming from their duly constituted authorities. The duly constituted authority [here in our country] is the President himself.”

(If the order did not come from Philippine courts, I will not recognize it. If the order came from Interpol or the ICC, the PNP should be able to distinguish who the duly constituted authorities are.)

“ICC is not part of our government. ‘Yung Interpol hanggang cooperation lang ‘yan [with local authorities]. The Interpol is not over and above the chain of command of the PNP. So nandyan pa rin yan sa PNP ang pag-decide on what to do,” dela Rosa added.

(Interpol’s role is limited to cooperation with local authorities. The decision is ultimately on the PNP.)

Dela Rosa, however, said he would be willing to be interviewed by the ICC as that was not a submission to the ICC’s jurisdiction.

“If they're going to make a formal communication with me at iyong laman ng communication... kung sabihin nila na mag-interview lang, then why not? As a normal human being, hindi naman ako bastos. Kung mayroong magtatanong, sasagutin ko rin ‘yung tanong,” dela Rosa said.

(If they want me for an interview, why not? I am not rude. If somebody asks me a question, I will answer it.)

The ICC is investigating former President Duterte and other top officials of the Duterte administration for crimes against humanity over the alleged systematic drug war deaths in police operations. 

These deaths reached around 6,000 based on police records, but human rights groups contend that the deaths were as much as 30,000, including vigilante killings.

The former President, however, insisted that the Philippines was not under ICC's jurisdiction due to Manila's withdrawal from the Rome Statute in March 2019.

In a separate interview, Senator and former Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said Senate rules, which prohibits the arrest of a sitting senator while in session, would prevail if an arrest warrant was served against dela Rosa.

“Whatever happens, we have Senate rules in place that must be respected, and the Senate is ready to implement. Those rules are exclusive to our institution. We welcome (are aware) of what is happening, but we don’t welcome the breaking down of our rules,” Villanueva said.

“If we are in session, etc., we need to refer to our rules. We will strictly implement our rules at hindi kami papayag sa kanino man na makialam sa aming rules. Because that's part of our job and obligation to preserve the best interest of our people in preserving our roots,” Villanueva added.

Dela Rosa, for his part, said he expected the Senate to support him.

“If Malacañang cannot stand for one of its citizens, I hope the Senate can do so for one of its members. I just hope things will go that way,” dela Rosa added.

Asked if the former PNP chief would stay in his Senate office to avoid arrest just like former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV when the latter’s amnesty was suddenly revoked by then President Duterte, dela Rosa said, “Let’s see. I will cross the bridge when I get there.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News