Bato may surface if ICC warrant TROed

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa could make his first public appearance since 14 May if the Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the government’s efforts to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him, his lawyer said Thursday.

Atty. Israelito Torreon said the senator’s decision to emerge would ultimately depend on his confidence that authorities would comply with the high court’s order. “There is a great possibility,” Torreon said in a radio interview, adding that the decision rested solely with his client.

The lawyer’s remarks came after Dela Rosa’s camp filed another manifestation before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the government’s efforts to arrest him.

The filing cited authorities’ description of the senator as “armed and dangerous” and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s P50 million bounty announced on 23 October.

Torreon said Dela Rosa feared suffering the same fate as former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was arrested and transferred to The Hague, Netherlands, following an ICC warrant.

He argued that any action curtailing a person’s liberty should go through the courts rather than rely solely on executive discretion.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said the Philippine National Police (PNP) had stepped up operations to find Dela Rosa as the deadline for his voluntary surrender approached on 30 October.

The PNP also urged Dela Rosa to surrender and submit to the legal process. The senator, who served as police chief under Duterte, faces an ICC warrant linked to the former president’s drug war.