Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has strongly criticized the Marcos administration for allowing former President Rodrigo Duterte to be handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to Dela Rosa, this decision was influenced by politics rather than justice.
Dela Rosa’s Strong Words Against the Marcos Administration
On Sunday, Dela Rosa released a statement saying, “Politics has blinded this government’s standards in recognizing the rights of every Filipino, whether they are a former president or not. Even supporters of former President Duterte believe that handing him over to the ICC is a violation of the rights of our fellow Filipinos.”
Dela Rosa expressed frustration that the government ignored the guarantees provided by the Philippine Constitution to every citizen, including Duterte.
Duterte’s Arrest and ICC Trial
Earlier this month, former President Duterte was arrested and sent to The Hague, Netherlands. He is currently facing the ICC’s pre-trial chamber via video conference. The charges against him are related to alleged crimes against humanity committed during his war on drugs while he was president.
Concerns About Constitutional Rights
Dela Rosa stressed that Duterte’s constitutional rights were violated. He reminded Justice Secretary Boying Remulla, the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and all Filipinos that justice should always be impartial. He pointed out that the symbol of justice—a blindfolded figure—represents fairness and the idea that no one should be treated unfairly under the law.
GMA News Online reached out to Malacañang for their response to Dela Rosa’s claims.
Malacañang Defends Duterte’s Arrest
The Marcos administration insists that Duterte’s arrest was legal and followed Republic Act 9851, also known as the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. They argue that the country was simply following its own laws by cooperating with the ICC.
However, some politicians, including Senator Imee Marcos, are questioning why the Philippine government allowed Duterte to be taken by “outsiders.” She asked whether the Philippines had become a “province” of The Hague, implying that the country was allowing foreign courts to interfere in its affairs.
Dela Rosa Questions Interpol’s Role
Dela Rosa also raised concerns about the involvement of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in Duterte’s arrest. He asked why the Philippines cooperated with Interpol’s “diffusion notice,” which helped facilitate Duterte’s surrender.
“Are we not a sovereign state? Can’t our President simply refuse to enforce the ICC warrant? We have long argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over us,” Dela Rosa said. He claimed that Interpol’s involvement was just an excuse to bring Duterte to The Hague.
Legal Expert Backs Duterte’s Arrest
Meanwhile, Atty. Gilbert Andres, a lawyer accredited by the ICC, defended the legality of Duterte’s arrest. Speaking on Super Radyo DzBB, he explained that whether Interpol issued a “red notice” or a “red diffusion” did not make much of a difference. The real legal basis for Duterte’s arrest, he said, comes from Section 17, Paragraph 2 of Republic Act 9851.
This law states that Philippine authorities can choose not to investigate or prosecute a person if an international tribunal, such as the ICC, is already handling the case. Instead, they may surrender or extradite the suspect to the appropriate international court.
With the legal debate continuing and public opinion divided, the controversy surrounding Duterte’s arrest remains a hot topic in Philippine politics.
