Bato opposes providing ICC a transcript of Senate drug war hearing

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Tuesday expressed opposition to the Senate's willingness to provide the International Criminal Court with the official transcript of the recently-conducted Senate blue ribbon committee's investigation into the war on drugs for its use in its case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

While he clarified that he is not opposing this because he is among the "accused" in the ICC case, Dela Rosa explained that providing the transcript to the international tribunal is "tantamount to recognizing their jurisdiction" over the Philippines.

This, he said, is contrary to the foreign policy of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. who repeatedly said that the Philippines is not recognizing the ICC's jurisdiction.

"Sa akin mukhang may problema kasi 'yun nga, giving in to their request is tantamount to recognizing their jurisdiction over us and our government is very consistent in declaring that ICC has no jurisdiciton over us," Dela Rosa said in a press conference.

(For me, there's an issue with providing the transcript for ICC's use because if we give in to their demand, it would be equivalent to recognizing their jurisdiction over us. Our government is very consistent in declaring that ICC has no jurisdiction over us.)

"Sana 'yung legislative branch also will also follow the same line. That's my point only ha. Hindi por que ako'y isa sa akusado sa ICC ay gano'n ang aking stand... We should take the cue from the president. Since sinabi ng president, being the chief architect of the foreign policy, eh sundin natin 'yung linya ng pangulo," he added.

(I hope that the legislative branch will also follow the same line. That's my only point. I voice out my stand not because I am one of the accused in the ICC case but we should take the cue from the president. We should follow the line of the president being the chief architect of the foreign policy.)

For Dela Rosa, the Senate leadership should ask first the purpose of the requests for the official transcripts.

"Pag sinabing para sa ICC, dapat sabihin sana niya na, 'No, giving this copy to ICC is tantamount to recognizing their jurisdiction over us,'" he said.

(If the request cited that the purpose is for the ICC, the Senate leadership should say 'No! Giving this copy to the ICC is tantamount to recognizing their jurisdiction over us.')

"Wala akong worry. Ang akin lang is dapat synchronized tayong lahat... Magkaisa tayong lahat. Hindi 'yung iba 'yung sinasabi ng Malacañang, iba 'yung sinasabi ng Senado. Di ba? Dapat magka-isa tayo. Ang habol ko lang naman dito is hindi tayo magmukhang tanga as a nation," he added.

(I don't have any worries about this matter. What I am concerned about is all branches of government should be synchronized. The stand of the Senate should not be different from the stand of Malacañang. My point here is we should not look like a fool as a nation.)

On Monday, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said the chamber will not hesitate to provide an official transcript of the recently-conducted Blue Ribbon subcommittee investigation into the drug war killings during the Duterte administration as long as the request for this has a "valid reason."

Last week, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said on X that the transcripts of the Senate probe on Duterte's drug war were already transmitted to the ICC.

This, after Duterte faced the Senate probe on the drug war and admitted to having a death squad and ordering police officers to kill criminals.

Duterte has declined to comment on Trillanes' move.

Government records show that there were at least 6,200 drug suspects killed in police operations from June 2016 to November 2021, but several human rights groups have refuted this and say that the number may have reached as much as 30,000 due to unreported related killings.

During Duterte’s term in 2019, the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute or the treaty that established the ICC, after the tribunal started a probe into his drug war.

To recall, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in January 2023 authorized the reopening of an inquiry into Duterte’s war on drugs.

The ICC Appeals Chamber in July 2023 also denied the government’s plea against the resumption of the inquiry, prompting numerous government officials to speak against continued engagement with the ICC. —KG, GMA Integrated News