By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has urged authorities to ensure a peaceful arrest of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa if the lawmaker is apprehended, insisting that allegations against him must be addressed through due process rather than violence.
Lacson appealed Sunday, citing his ties to Dela Rosa as a Senate colleague, former subordinate in the Philippine National Police (PNP) and fellow Philippine Military Academy alumnus.
Whatever accusations Dela Rosa faces, Lacson said, he remains entitled to the fundamental protections guaranteed to every person.
Dela Rosa faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. He has reportedly been in hiding since learning of the warrant.
The government has offered a ₱50-million reward for information leading to his arrest, while the PNP has given him one week to surrender. Dela Rosa’s lawyers have challenged the legal basis of the bounty.
Lacson said he believes authorities may have information about the senator’s whereabouts but questioned the need for such a large reward if his location is already known.
The senator also dismissed allegations that the reward and surrender deadline were designed to keep Dela Rosa from participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
He argued that the matter falls beyond the Senate’s coercive authority, citing the impeachment court’s ruling that only senators legally and factually capable of participating would be counted in determining the two-thirds vote required for conviction.
The court’s framework excludes senators whose whereabouts remain unknown and who cannot be reached by authorities, among other circumstances.
Dela Rosa appeared at the Senate on May 11 to vote for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president but left two days later.
Lacson’s position was clear: Dela Rosa must answer the allegations against him under due process, while any arrest should be carried out without violence or loss of life.
ia/xf
