The Senate can offer protection to Senator Ronald Dela Rosa to prevent his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Senate President Francis Escudero said on Monday.
Escudero said he and Dela Rosa have discussed the senator’s request for protection as he faces a possible ICC arrest warrant for his role in the past administration’s war on drugs.
“I told him we will give him all legal options available,” Escudero said.
Dela Rosa earlier said he hopes Escudero will protect him, especially after the ICC, through Interpol, already arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is now in The Hague, Netherlands.
Dela Rosa was the police chief in charge of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, during which 1.6 million drug users surrendered to the government.
“The Senate does not allow any of its members to be arrested inside its building, especially during sessions,” Escudero said in Filipino. “This is part of our rules.”
He pointed out that in 2018, former senator Antonio Trillanes stayed in the Senate for almost 25 days to avoid arrest after Duterte canceled his amnesty. Trillanes later won his case in the Supreme Court.
Former senator Leila de Lima also stayed at the Senate overnight in 2017 before surrendering to authorities after being charged with drug-related crimes under Duterte’s government.
Dela Rosa warned that arresting him under an ICC warrant could have legal consequences for the Philippine government.
On March 15, Dela Rosa joined thousands of pro-Duterte protesters at Liwasang Bonifacio, calling for Duterte’s return. He criticized the Marcos administration, saying it was unfairly using its power against the people’s will. “We are very divided,” he said.
Even as he urged Filipinos to stand against the ICC’s “interference,” he also called for calm.
Duterte and Dela Rosa have already asked the Supreme Court to stop the Philippine government from working with the ICC.
Dela Rosa continues to defend the war on drugs, saying it was necessary to fight serious crimes in the country.
