THE SUPREME Court’s denial of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s plea to stop his possible arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) marks an important step in dismantling the culture of impunity that has long shielded perpetrators of extrajudicial killings, and in pursuing the long and painful struggle for justice for the thousands of victims.
The full Supreme Court En Banc decision denying his request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Status Quo Ante Order — including the majority ruling, concurring opinions, and dissenting opinions — was made publicly available on May 25 through the Supreme Court website.
While legal debates on ICC jurisdiction, surrender procedures, and the relationship between Philippine law and international law continue inside courtrooms, the Filipino people — especially the families of the victims — have already waited far too long. Philippine institutions had failed to deliver justice: impunity reigned while parents buried children, children became orphans, and entire communities lived under fear and terror. The legal system unfortunately and repeatedly protected those in power while abandoning the poor who became targets of the drug war.
For years, thousands of poor Filipinos were killed in police operations, vigilante-style executions, and state-sanctioned violence justified through the language of “nanlaban.” The victims were denied the very rights now loudly invoked by the architects of the bloody drug war. Thousands of poor Filipinos were killed without due process, without courts, and without mercy — while those accused of orchestrating the violence continued to enjoy power, protection, and freedom.
Notably, Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, reminded the Court about the “voiceless dead” — the thousands of tokhang victims. He stressed that justice for the victims must remain central in the court’s decision and that accountability must be exacted from all officials involved in extrajudicial killings and state violence.
For justice to proceed, it is necessary to immediately arrest Bato Dela Rosa and all others responsible for the killings under the Duterte administration’s drug war. Accountability demands that those accused of grave crimes finally face the legal consequences of their actions instead of hiding behind procedural delay.
No amount of legal maneuvering by Bato Dela Rosa can erase the bloodshed that happened. No procedural argument can silence the cries for justice from the families left behind. It is therefore both morally urgent and historically necessary that the processes of the ICC be fully enforced and allowed to proceed without obstruction.
Bagong Alyasang Makabayan – Panay stands with the victims and their families in demanding full accountability for all perpetrators of extrajudicial killings and crimes against humanity. Justice delayed has already become justice denied for thousands. The time for accountability is now. – BAGONG ALYASANG MAKABAYAN – PANAY, Iloilo City <bayanpanay2014@gmail.com>
