Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he is willing to be arrested should the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue an arrest warrant against him.

“Kung meron, ready ako (If there is, I am ready),” Dela Rosa told reporters in a phone interview with Senate reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Dela Rosa’s remarks came a day after former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested via an Interpol Notice issued due to the charges he is facing with the ICC.

“Yes. Willing akong alagaan ang Pangulo. Wala siyang kasama doon. That’s really my purpose kung bakit ko gustong… ‘pag mayroon akong warrant para maalagaan ko siya doon (I am willing to take care of the Preisdent. He was alone there. That’s really my purpose  why.. if I’ll have a warrant so I can take care of him) ,” he added.

Pending the possible arrest warrant, Dela Rosa said he will remain living a normal life.

“I will live a normal life unless a warrant is being served. If a warrant is being served, then I am ready. I’m ready to submit myself to the authorities. I talked to my wife already. I told her I decided to submit myself if a warrant is being issued,” he said. 

Dela Rosa said he can escape from the ICC if he wants to, but he would rather face the charges against him.

“I can run. The Philippines is too wide for me to hide. I can run and I can use some connections to hide. The Philippines is too wide,” he said. 

Not hiding

Dela Rosa explained why he seemed to be missing the past few days, particularly during Duterte’s ICC arrest on 11 March.

“Hindi ako nagtatago. Nandito ako sa mga bundok ng Surigao at Agusan. Nangangampanya ako. Pero okay na. Nasa baba na ako may signal naman (I’m not hiding. I’m just here in the mountainous areas of Surigao and Agusan. I was campaigning. But its okay already. I’m now down here, the signal is back),” he told reporters in phone interview. 

He added that he was also busy preparing for the drafting of the Duterte camp’s petition for certiorari and prohibition.

“Hindi man kami magkasama sa HongKong. Diba naiwan ako dito. Ako ‘yun tinask nila mag asikaso sa legal. Nagcoordinate ako sa aking mga lawyers atsaka sa lawyers ni PRRD para to come up for certiorari and prohibition. Inaayos namin ng husto iyon. Finile namin (I’m not part of the HongKong trip. Remember I was left here. I was tasked worked on the legal. I coordinated with my lawyers and PRRD’s to  come up for certiorari and prohibition. We’re carefullyt working on it. We’ve filed it),” dela Rosa remarked. 

He said they were hoping for positive results from the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday afternoon, Dela Rosa and the former president, through their legal counsel Atty. Israelito Torreon, filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking the high court to release any individuals arrested by the authorities in the implementation of the warrant of arrest from the ICC and permanently prohibit the Philippine government from cooperating with the international tribunal.

The 94-page petition, which was filed after the arrest of Duterte, was based on an International Criminal Police Organization Red Notice in compliance with the ICC’s warrant of arrest against the former chief executive.

Dela Rosa expressed his frustration and dismay after the petition was junked by the High Court on Wednesday.

“If all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then I don’t want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat. I am ready to join the old man, hoping that they would allow me to take care of him,” Dela Rosa said.  

Dela Rosa previously stressed he won’t let a foreign country arrest him, especially surrendering to the ICC.

Asked if he still has the same stance, he said things may change depending on the situation.

“Baka magbago na dahil nandoon si President Duterte. Kawawa masyadong wala siya kasama (It might change now that President Duterte is there. It's really pitiful that he has no one with him).  I suppose if all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then what can I do? I may as well—I can join the old man. Hopefully makatulong ako sa kanya at maalagaan ko siya doon (Hopefully, I can help him there),” he added. 

Dela Rosa disclosed that he already knew that the issuance of the ICC arrest warrant was coming.

“I've been expecting it already dahil kahit paano mayroon tayong handling intel din (because somehow, we are also handling intelligence),” he said.