Bato to Marcos: Be man enough, say you want us jailed

MANILA, Philippines — Be man enough to tell us you want us investigated and jailed.

This was Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s challenge to President Marcos following reports that members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have gathered information and evidence for a possible case of crime against humanity against him and former president Rodrigo Duterte as well as several others linked to the war on drugs during the previous administration.

“Frankly, let’s talk man-to-man. If you want us investigated and jailed, just tell us face to face. You are saying something, but what’s happening is different,” Dela Rosa told Senate reporters yesterday, addressing Marcos.

Dela Rosa, the first Philippine National Police (PNP) chief of Duterte, was the chief enforcer and reported architect of the war on drugs.

The senator said the President should explain why there seems to be a contradiction in his previous statement that he would not allow ICC probers to visit the country and conduct an investigation.

“Just inform us, we are Filipinos, we are your citizens. Please don’t covertly stab us in the back. Please be man enough to tell us,” he added.

Dela Rosa said the ICC investigation was contrary to the President’s commitment to him that ICC members would not be allowed to enter and that the Philippines would not cooperate in any investigation.

“He (the President) said before that the (ICC investigators) would not be allowed to come into the country. But they are allowed to come in and complete the investigation. The government’s stand has really changed… It will be a validation of the saying ‘walang forever, walang forever,’’’ Dela Rosa added.

Dela Rosa admitted that he can’t do anything if the government agrees to cooperate with the ICC. He said he would just prepare for his possible arrest and legal strategies.

He said that based on the information he got from his friends in the media, the ICC people arrived in the Philippines and stayed and checked in at a hotel in Boracay.

But as the former PNP chief, he admitted that he has not yet received any official information regarding the ICC investigators’ presence in the Philippines.

Even PNP chief Benjamin Acorda claimed they have yet to receive any confirmation of reports or communications about ICC investigators in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Acorda denied claims made by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV that the ICC has already completed its investigation and may issue warrants of arrest anytime against Duterte and several others.

Acorda said at a briefing at Camp Crame that the PNP had not received any confirmed reports or communications related to the conclusion of the investigation.

He emphasized the PNP’s commitment to justice and its consistent cooperation with the Department of Justice and other concerned agencies.

Acorda said that should an arrest warrant be issued by the ICC, they will just “get directives from the higher office on whatever will be the treatment (of the accused) if it will come out.”

When asked if any arrest warrant would be implemented immediately, Acorda said he would rather not comment on the matter for now.

During a forum in Quezon City on Sunday, Trillanes said he anticipates the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Duterte and other respondents in the ICC’s war on drugs investigation.

Trillanes, citing information from insiders, alleged that ICC investigators conducted interviews in December 2023 and completed gathering information on Duterte and other individuals involved. — Mark Ernest Villeza