MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has clarified why it did not move to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing a warrant against him.
The agency said the decision was based on legal restraint and compliance with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who instructed concerned agencies to await a Supreme Court ruling on whether the ICC warrant could be enforced in the country without a domestic court order.
The ICC warrant is linked to alleged crimes against humanity in relation to the previous administration’s anti-drug operations.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had initially made an attempt to enforce the warrant but backed off after the Senate assumed protective custody over the senator.
Dela Rosa has since sought a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court to prevent his arrest.
Amid criticism from former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and others, the DILG maintained that its actions were guided by constitutional procedures, ongoing court proceedings, and coordination with national leadership, not by a refusal to enforce the law.
ia/xf
