By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has vowed to pursue the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, assuring the public that his former position as the country’s top police officer and personal connections will not stand in the way of implementing the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. welcomed Malacañang’s challenge to ensure that the warrant is enforced, stressing that no government position, rank or personal relationship places anyone above the law.
“We welcome the challenge of Malacañang because it reinforces a fundamental principle of law enforcement: no position, rank, or personal relationship is above the law,” Nartatez said in a statement Wednesday.
He added that every police officer must remain loyal to the Constitution and the law, rather than to personalities or former positions.
Malacañang earlier challenged the PNP leadership to ensure that Dela Rosa’s previous stint as police chief would not compromise efforts to locate and arrest him.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla previously acknowledged that Dela Rosa’s background as a former PNP chief had made the search more difficult.
The PNP said it continues to gather and validate information through dedicated hotlines, with tracker teams deployed nationwide.
Authorities have also offered a ₱50-million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Dela Rosa faces an ICC warrant over alleged crimes against humanity linked to at least 32 killings during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign from July 2016 to April 2018.
ia/xf
