Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Monday said he will cooperate if the current government decides to allow the International Criminal Court investigators to probe the alleged human rights violations by the previous administration’s massive drug war campaign. 

Dela Rosa lamented it will be inevitable that he and former President Rodrigo Duterte will be subjected to prosecution over the war on drugs initiatives if the government cooperates with the ICC. 

“Kung papasok sila dito at mag-cooperate ang government—aarestuhin kami eh di mag-aresto. Pero ‘pag hindi nag-cooperate ang government, sino ang mag-aresto? (If they would enter here and the government will cooperate to arrest us, we will be arrested then. But if the government will not cooperate, who will be arresting?),” Dela Rosa told reporters, when asked for reaction on Senator Antonio Trillanes III recent statement about ICC entry in the Philippines.

Trillanes said the ICC investigators have already gathered “enough evidence” against Dela Rosa and former President Rodrigo Duterte’s human rights violations over implementing the drug war campaign.

Dela Rosa in response said: “Nagbago na ang desisyon, sabi dati—ayaw. Ngayon, may nakapasok na pala at tapos na ang imbestigasyon? So, ibig sabihin nagbago na pala ang stand ng government—kung totoo yan ha? Kung totoo ang mga pinagsasabi ni Antonio Trillanes (The decision has changed, it was said before—no. Now, someone got in and the investigation is over? So, that means the government's stand has changed—if that's true, right? If what Antonio Trillanes is saying is true).”

Dela Rosa was the installed Philippine National Police chief when Duterte carried out his anti-illegal drugs campaign after he was elected in 2016. 

Some human rights advocates claimed that over 12,000 Filipinos died due to the drug war initiatives, with at least 2,555 killings and crimes against humanity have been attributed to the PNP. 

Dela Rosa explained that his previous pronouncements of not willing to cooperate with the ICC probe were due to the firm stand of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the “Philippines will not allow the Hague-based criminal court to enter and conduct investigation in the country.”

“I told you I will not cooperate because our government, it will not cooperate too. Who would cooperate if no less than the President said he would not cooperate? He even prohibited the ICC from coming so why would I cooperate? But if the President said we will cooperate then I am bound by law. I will follow,” he said. 

He disclosed former Palace spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, will serve as the head legal counsel for him and Duterte should the ICC investigation prosper in the Philippines.

“Being a citizen of this country, I am duty-bound and morally bound to obey the government,” he added.

The senator said the Marcos administration should inform them of the government’s stance on issues with ICC. 

“Pakiusap ko lang is prangkahan na… Kung gusto niyo kaming makulong, then sabihan niyo kami harap-harapan. ‘Wag yung ibang sinasabi at iba ‘yung nangyayari. Iyon lang ‘yung pakiusap namin (I’m just asking you to be frank… If you want us to go to jail then tell us directly. Don’t be like uttering differently from what you are doing. That’s all we ask),” he said.

Dela Rosa earlier said Marcos gave him a “solid rock” assurance that the government will not allow the entry of ICC probers in the country.