Very powerful protectors
Ten months have passed since Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa went on the run to evade arrest by the International Criminal Police Organization in connection with the crime against humanity case he and former President Rodrigo Duterte are facing before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Dela Rosa briefly surfaced in the Senate last May 11 to provide the crucial 13th vote to install Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, and disappeared into the wee hours the next day after a chaotic night that included a shooting incident inside the chamber. Considered an international fugitive wanted by the ICC, Dela Rosa is deemed counted out among the senators who would soon vote in the ongoing impeachment trial of his ally, Vice President Sara Duterte.
After narrowly avoiding arrest in May, by scampering on the exit stairs of the Senate to the safety of the chamber’s protective custody, Dela Rosa is not expected to repeat his daring appearance. His fear of being brought to the ICC, it seems, is greater than coming to the aid of his former boss’ beleaguered daughter.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said in a press briefing last May that the arrest warrant from the ICC was valid and that “it will be served.” Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. also said the police force will enforce the Department of Justice’s order.
Body bags
But arresting Dela Rosa is no easy feat for authorities, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has admitted. In fact, Remulla warned that forcing the senator’s arrest would “involve body bags.”
“We know where he is, but there are negotiations now with his protectors and I think we’ll get to him soon,” Remulla said in an interview with One News’ Storycon program on Sept. 8. “I cannot really talk at length about it, but he’s being protected by very powerful people.”
Asked why authorities needed to negotiate, Remulla said “because it involves body bags.” “Yes, there will be casualties. We don’t want casualties, that’s number one (consideration),’’ Remulla said.
The only way, he said, would be for Dela Rosa to surrender. “But they have to surrender peacefully and we will use all the levers of the government to get him out of his hiding using all the economic and military levers that we have in order to force him out,” he said.
Remulla’s statements beg the question: Who are these “very powerful people” who have no qualms about aiding and abetting a fugitive, and who are not even intimidated by the might of the police and military?
Obstruction of justice
The other question is why the government needs to negotiate with these shadowy figures or groups when it must enforce the laws through the law-enforcement capabilities of the National Bureau of Investigation, the PNP, and even the Armed Forces of the Philippines? Can’t the government, without waving guns, go after these powerful forces for obstruction of justice, which carries the penalty of imprisonment?
For sure, Remulla must have heard about the successful operation to flush out fugitive evangelical preacher Apollo Quiboloy, which required only excellent police intelligence work and persistence. Police spent more than two weeks surrounding and searching Quiboloy’s massive Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, at one point cutting off electricity in a building to flush out Quiboloy, leading to his arrest on Sept. 8 last year.
Remulla can learn a thing or two on how to do this from former PNP chief Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, who led Quiboloy’s arrest as well as the succeeding surgical operation to arrest and surrender Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC.
Admittedly, as a former police chief in Davao and PNP chief, Dela Rosa is believed to command loyalty within the police organization and could easily second-guess police moves. He also has more weapons, literally, in his arsenal to continue to evade arrest.
Image of untouchability
Remulla himself confirmed that the PNP is still working to recover a total of 117 firearms registered to Dela Rosa, as only 26 guns have so far been surrendered by his camp since June. That is some firepower for a private army to protect Dela Rosa, and the government’s inability to secure these weapons only adds to the perception that the government is helpless against powerful individuals.
Then there is the delay in the investigation of the individuals who facilitated Dela Rosa’s escape from the Senate, including Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who was seen escorting his colleague out of the premises.
All this dillydallying by different government agencies not only boosts the image of untouchability of a Duterte-allied senator. More importantly, it delays the pursuit of justice by thousands of Filipino victims of the bloody Duterte drug war before the ICC.
Remulla must bear this in mind in doing better at his job of finding Dela Rosa and other high-profile fugitives who are using their resources and power to evade justice. At one point when asked why he was confident about arresting fugitives, Remulla replied: “Mayabang ako, eh.” It’s time to put that bluster and overconfidence to work.
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