Torreon: Bato may surface if SC issues TRO on ICC warrant

Fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa could make a public appearance for the first time since 14 May if the Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the enforcement of his pending warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Atty. Israelito Torreon, one of Dela Rosa’s counsels, made the statement on Thursday, days after their camp filed another manifestation before the high court seeking to halt the government’s efforts to arrest the senator.

The latest filing cited authorities’ recent declaration that Dela Rosa was “armed and dangerous” and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s announcement of a P50-million bounty for information leading to his arrest on Friday, 23 October.

Torreon said there was a “great possibility” that Dela Rosa could finally appear in public if the court granted the motion, although the decision would ultimately depend on the senator himself.

“That is a great possibility because ultimately, why do I say that so that I can be clear, ultimately that is the decision that can be made by my client only,” he said in a radio interview.

Torreon said Dela Rosa’s decision could also depend on his confidence in the government and whether authorities would comply with the court order.

“It depends on the confidence of Senator Dela Rosa that there may be a TRO but would not be followed. It’s dangerous so that is why I cannot state with specificity,” he said.

The lawyer expressed concern that Dela Rosa could face the same fate as former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was also issued an ICC warrant.

Torreon noted that Duterte was arrested and transported to The Hague, Netherlands, in less than a day. He claimed the arrest resembled a kidnapping because it did not go through a court.

“It can not be purely executive discretion to curtail the liberty of a person…it should really go through the court,” he said.

‘No credible value’

Asked whether government assurances that a TRO would be respected could persuade Dela Rosa to appear, Torreon said his client would likely remain unconvinced.

He noted that one of the grounds cited by the Supreme Court in denying their initial request for a TRO was President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s statement that he would not enforce the arrest of the wanted senator.

Despite that assurance, Torreon said, the Department of the Interior and Local Government proceeded with heightened efforts to arrest his client.

“I’m sorry to say it, the government has no credible value. But if it is the Supreme Court, Senator Dela Rosa could trust it,” the lawyer said.

With less than two days remaining before the Philippine National Police’s “one-week ultimatum” for Dela Rosa to surrender expired, Torreon appealed to authorities, noting that the senator was a former PNP chief.

He maintained that Dela Rosa had merely implemented Duterte’s orders, which he said were intended to give drug pushers and users a chance to reform.

“I am requesting the PNP to do the right thing…to follow lawful orders only since there is no Philippine warrant of arrest that is present here,” Torreon said.

“They cannot be used in my humble mind to implement a foreign issued process,” he added.