By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) declared Monday that Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa will be arrested immediately should he emerge from hiding to attend the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte next week.
PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the police are under direct orders to enforce the arrest warrant issued against the senator and will carry out the operation wherever he surfaces, including within the Senate premises.
“We are mandated to effect the arrest of Senator Bato. If he appears there, our police force will arrest him,” Co said during a press briefing at Camp Crame.
The Department of Justice earlier directed both the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to implement the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against dela Rosa over his alleged role in the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign.
Dela Rosa briefly resurfaced on May 11 after remaining out of public view for nearly six months. He attended Senate proceedings related to the successful move to unseat then-Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and install Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate chief.
However, the senator again disappeared from public view after leaving the Senate in the early hours of May 14. Reports said he rode with Sen. Robin Padilla before getting off in Makati City, after which his whereabouts became unknown.
The latest warning comes as the Senate prepares to convene as an impeachment court on July 6 to try Vice President Sara Duterte over allegations that include misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of public officials, and issuing threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Co said the PNP will deploy an appropriate number of personnel to secure the impeachment proceedings and prevent any disruption during the historic trial.
“We have closely coordinated with the Senate and other concerned government agencies to ensure the peaceful conduct of the impeachment trial,” he said.
While authorities have not validated any specific security threat against the proceedings, Co said police remain on full alert. Members of the PNP’s Police Security and Protection Group are already stationed at the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms as part of regular security operations.
The PNP maintained that it is prepared to immediately execute the ICC arrest warrant should dela Rosa publicly reappear during the Senate proceedings or at any other location within the reach of law enforcement.
ia/xf
