MANILA — Fearing a potentially bloody confrontation over the arrest of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the Senate minority bloc has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to initiate negotiations with the senator’s legal team following the government’s offer of a P50-million bounty for his capture.
The appeal came amid heightened tensions after Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla described Dela Rosa as “armed and dangerous” and announced the multimillion-peso reward for information leading to his arrest in connection with a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The minority senators warned against an arrest operation that could result in unnecessary loss of life, particularly after Remulla earlier raised the possibility of 10,000 deaths in a confrontation involving authorities and the senator’s supporters.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers stressed that negotiations could provide a peaceful means of resolving the standoff without compromising law enforcement responsibilities or Dela Rosa’s legal rights.
“We understand the government’s desire to resolve this situation in the interest of law and order. We believe a peaceful resolution that respects our laws and protects lives remains possible,” the senators said.
“We respectfully appeal to the President and the concerned agencies to work with Sen. Dela Rosa’s counsel toward a peaceful resolution. The Minority stands with our colleague and is ready to help facilitate that discussion, confident that our institutions can uphold the law, protect his rights, and pursue justice without needless loss of life,” they added.
The senators also called on the executive branch, law enforcement agencies, Dela Rosa, his family, lawyers and supporters to exercise restraint and maintain open communication to prevent the situation from escalating into violence.
They welcomed Remulla’s expressed concern about avoiding casualties despite his earlier warning about the potentially deadly consequences of an arrest operation.
The minority bloc is headed by senator Alan Peter Cayetano and includes Dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Bong Go, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Rodante Marcoleta, Camille Villar, and Loren Legarda.
Dela Rosa has remained out of public view since the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the bloody anti-illegal drug campaign of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte remains in ICC custody while awaiting trial over allegations arising from his administration’s controversial war on drugs.
The minority senators have also questioned the validity of the ICC warrant, citing the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the international tribunal, in 2019.
Despite the appeal for negotiations, Malacañang maintained that the government would continue pursuing Dela Rosa’s arrest.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos fully supported the efforts of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies to take the senator into custody.
“Walang dapat mamatay sa pagganap sa tungkulin ng mga pulis para maaresto si Sen. Bato, kaya huwag na silang magmatigas dahil hindi aatras ang kapulisan natin. Tumatakbo ang bawat minuto, dapat mas mabilis na pagkilos. Suportado ng Pangulo ang hakbang ng DILG, DOJ at mga law enforcers,” Castro said.
The Palace maintained that authorities were determined to enforce the arrest warrant while seeking to prevent casualties during the operation.
Castro also said the government would not have needed to offer the P50-million reward had Dela Rosa not managed to leave the Senate by hitching a ride in May when authorities attempted to arrest him./PN
