Sara to lend 'support as a friend' to Bato

THE HAGUE—Vice President Sara Duterte said she would lend her “support as a friend” to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in case an arrest warrant is issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Kung ano yung decision niya at saan siya masaya [at] comfortable doon sa kanyang mga decisions, susuporta lang ako as a friend. Hindi naman niya ako abogado. Hindi naman ako kaparte ng kanyang grupo sa mga nag-a-advise sa kanya," the vice president said in an ambush interview with GMA Integrated News following her scheduled visit to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, on Friday.

(Whatever decision he takes and what makes him feel happy and comfortable, I will support as a friend. I am neither his lawyer nor a member of the group that provides him with advice.)

On Saturday, Dela Rosa said in a radio interview that he would not surrender even as he maintained that he would not leave the Philippines.

“Hypothetical? Hindi ako magpahuli. Hindi ako sasama,” he said.

(Hypothetical? I refuse to be arrested. I'm not going with them.)

“Hindi ako lalabas sa aking comfort zone. My comfort zone sa Philippines. Bakit ako pupunta sa ibang bansa? Dito ako sa Pilipinas. Dito ako pinanganak. Dito ako mamamatay sa bansa kong sinilangan.”

(I am not leaving my comfort zone. My comfort zone is the Philippines. Why will I go to another country? I am in the Philippines. I was born here. I will die in my native land.)

Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police when then-President Duterte launched his deadly war on drugs in 2016.

The ICC has identified nine co-perpetrators in the arrest warrant served against former President Duterte for crimes against humanity charges, but the names of these nine were redacted. Dela Rosa’s name, however, was mentioned in the same arrest warrant.

At a press conference on Thursday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro slammed dela Rosa for saying that he was considering not surrendering to the ICC. —VBL, GMA Integrated News