House member: Don't allow Senate to serve as sanctuary for Bato

The Senate should not serve as a sanctuary for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in the event that an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is served to him due to alleged crimes against humanity over drug war killings, Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel said Tuesday.

Manuel was responding to Senate President Francis Escudero’s earlier statement that Dela Rosa may stay in the Senate premises “until all legal remedies are exhausted” in the event the ICC issues an arrest warrant against the former chief of the National Police.

"Gamit na gamit ang institutional courtesy para hindi mabuklat ang budget ng OVP at ng Presidente, tapos ngayon gagamitin uli ito para itago ang isang senador dahil lang napapraning na siya?” Manuel said in a statement.

(Institutional courtesy has been overused to prevent the scrutiny of the budget of the Offices of the Vice President and the President, and now, we are using this same courtesy over a Senator's paranoia?)

“Ano rin ang gusto nating ituro sa kabataan? Na ang Senado ay pwedeng isara nang matagal para di maglunsad ng impeachment trial pero pwedeng magbukas bilang kanlungan ng isang berdugo? Kung magtatago si Bato sa Senado kahit wala naman silang session, parang inamin na rin niyang guilty siya,” Manuel added.

(Are we teaching the youth that the Senate is closed for an impeachment trial [of the Vice President Sara Duterte] but it can hold proceedings to give a butcher a safe haven? If Senator Dela Rosa will hide in the Senate when Congress is not even in session, it's as good as admitting guilt.)

Manuel said that the Senate should not use public funds to cater to Dela Rosa’s legal battles to begin with.

“Magsasayang din siya (Dela Rosa) ng pondo ng bayan para lang magpalamig sa opisina. Panawagan natin sa Senado na bigyang daan ang tamang proseso ng hustisya, huwag magpagamit sa mga berdugo,” Manuel said.

(Senator Dela Rosa will waste taxpayers' money to stay in an airconditioned facility. The Senate should pave the way for justice, and not allow itself to be used by a butcher.)

"Aral ito sa ating lahat: Dapat sa halalan ang iupo sa Senado ay mga tunay na kinatawan ng mamamayan, na nakakaunawa na ang layunin ng opisina nila ay paglilingkod sa bayan, at hindi sa amo nilang politiko o dinastiya," Manuel added.

(This is a lesson for us. We should elect senators who represent the people, who understand the job is about public service, not satisfying the whims of politicians and dynasties.)

Chiz responds

In response, Escudero said such courtesy benefits all members of Congress, including Manuel's allies, the Batasan 5, who were protected by the House when they were being arrested on charges of rebellion, a charge which were ultimately dismissed.

"May I remind Congressman Manuel that this same institutional courtesies were extended to his compatriots and associates (collectively called then as the “Batasan 5”) nearly two decades ago. We are simply applying this institutional courtesy uniformly to all members of Congress, regardless of political color or persuasion and the nature of charges against them," Escudero said.

"May I additionally advise him to take heed of the experiences and (lessons) of history which may serve him well later," Escudero added.

The application for the arrest warrant against Duterte posted on the ICC website named nine co-perpetrators of the former Philippine leader in alleged crimes against humanity due to the drug war. Their names, however, were redacted.

Duterte was arrested by local authorities on March 11 based on an arrest warrant issued by the ICC. The former leader was then brought to the ICC detention in The Hague, Netherlands, on the same day.

Dela Rosa earlier said he felt betrayed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who supposedly assured him that Duterte won’t be dragged into the ICC.

Duterte’s camp, including Dela Rosa, has asked the Supreme Court to nullify Duterte’s arrest and order his return back to the Philippines.

The next confirmation of charges hearing on the Duterte case before the ICC has been set for September 23. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News