Bato ‘ready’ to join Rody, but not that soon
- Sen. Bato dela Rosa finally surfaced after his ex-boss’ arrest, saying he’s ready to be sent to the Hague where he’ll “take care” of Duterte, but hoping the Senate will keep him in custody as long as it can.
- Dela Rosa said he remains in the country–in the mountains of Surigao and Agusan–and that he has no intention to hide.
- He said he could not be reached on Tuesday when Duterte was arrested because he turned off his phone to focus on their petition for certiorari, which was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Finally breaking his silence since former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday morning on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela on Wednesday said he was not in hiding and was prepared to join and take care of his erstwhile boss.
Dela Rosa, named a coperpetrator in the cases filed at the ICC for his role as police chief during Duterte’s vicious drug war, said he remains in the country and that he has no intention to hide.
“In the mountains of Surigao and Agusan. I’m campaigning in the mountains of Surigao. But now, I’ve come down from the mountain,” he answered when pressed about his whereabouts.
“I will live a normal life unless a warrant is being served. If a warrant is being served, I’m ready,” he added.
Dela Rosa, who is seeking reelection in the May polls, also explained why he was not able to join Duterte and the other PDP-Laban senatorial candidates in a ”thanksgiving” rally with Filipino supporters in Hong Kong last Sunday.
“I was tasked to… coordinate with lawyers to come up with a petition for certiorari. We arranged and filed that, hoping we’ll be able to get positive results from the Supreme Court,” he said.
He said he could not be reached on Tuesday when Duterte was arrested because he turned off his phone to focus on their petition.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the petition filed by Duterte and Dela Rosa seeking to stop the government from cooperating with ICC “failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right for the immediate issuance of a (temporary restraining order).”
Ready… but
“If there is a warrant, I’m ready. I’ll take care of the President. That is my purpose why I’ll submit myself if there is a warrant. But so far I have no information yet,” he added.
“I don’t want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat. I am ready to join the old man hoping that they would allow me to take care of him. Hopefully I’ll be able to help him,” said Dela Rosa.
But while he is willing to yield to authorities, the senator said he would ask Senate President Francis Escudero to help him by holding his arrest in abeyance once a warrant is issued against him.
For him not to surrender me while he can. He can do that, even if there is a warrant of arrest,” he said in Filipino.
“He can keep me in custody as long as he can, the executive department will respect that. There are protocols like that,” he said, adding that it would also allow them to attend to their petition at the high tribunal.
Asked if he has any plan to seek refuge in the Senate, Dela Rosa said “it’s possible, I can stay there.”
