Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Thursday reminded uniformed personnel not to follow orders they deem unconstitutional.

A former Philippine National Police chief himself, Dela Rosa emphasized that the duty of uniformed personnel is to serve and protect the people.

“Mga sundalo naman iyan sila. I understand their situation, they are just following orders. Pero pag umabot sa punto—kung nakikinig iyong mga kasundaluhan natin, mga kapulisan—pag umabot sa punto na iyong order na ibinibigay sa inyo ay very unconstitutional na at klaro na may nilalabag na mga batas, dapat tayong mga sundalo, mga pulis, mag-isip-isip din tayo,” the Mindanaoan lawmaker said.

“Dahil ang ating oath is to serve and protect, hindi po para mag-violate ng batas,” he added.

Dela Rosa also refuted the earlier statement of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was merely deputized to support the Philippine National Police in the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Nobody can make an utos or an order to a secretary of National Defense kung hindi somebody above him. And who is above the secretary of National Defense? It is the President of the Republic of the Philippines, hindi ba?” Dela Rosa said. 

“Alangan naman iyong secretary of National Defense is taking orders from a general ng Armed Forces. It should be somebody from above. So, maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw na presidente ang nagbigay ng order na iyon,” he added. 

Dela Rosa slammed the arrest of the former president, tagging it as “kidnapping” and not in line with due process. 

The reelectionist senator also echoed the preliminary findings of the committee, stating that the constitutional rights of former President Rodrigo Duterte were violated when authorities surrendered him to the International Criminal Court (ICC).