Bato ICC Warrant: OSG Asks Supreme Court to Clear Arrest Path
The OSG asked the Supreme Court to reject Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s bid to stop enforcement of an ICC arrest warrant.
The government has urged the Supreme Court to reject Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s bid to block his arrest over an International Criminal Court warrant, marking another major turn in the closely watched drug war case.
According to The Philippine Star, the Office of the Solicitor General filed an 83-page comment asking the high court to deny Dela Rosa’s motions “for utter lack of merit,” while also describing him as a “fugitive from justice.”
The OSG argued that Philippine authorities may enforce the ICC warrant under Republic Act 9851, the Philippine law on crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide and other crimes against humanity. It said the warrant does not need validation from a local court before it can be enforced.
The government also pushed back on Dela Rosa’s argument that extradition rules should apply, saying surrender to the ICC and extradition to another state are separate legal processes. The OSG claimed the argument could delay the execution of an international criminal process.
Dela Rosa’s whereabouts remained unknown after he left the Senate building last week. The Department of Justice earlier said the ICC warrant would be served once the Supreme Court resolves his petition, unless he attempts to leave the country. Source: The Philippine Star
