DOJ chief defends legality of bounty for Bato dela Rosa’s arrest

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida defended the bounty offered for any information that could lead to the arrest of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa has been in hiding since last May, when the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him.

The government has already offered a P50 million bounty for any information that could lead to his arrest.

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READ: P50-M bounty for capture of ‘armed and dangerous’ Bato Dela Rosa – DILG

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While Vida declined to comment on the specific amount, he noted that other agencies were behind the bounty, which he said is legally permissible.

“Sa pananaw ko, legal ‘yan. Kasi these could fall under confidential activities, to gain more information. If it’s a successful confidential operation, then it would fall under that; it would be covered (In my view, that is legal. Because these could fall under confidential activities to gain more information. If it’s a successful confidential operation, it would be covered),” Vida explained.

Vida said dela Rosa’s disappearance while under the Senate’s custody has made the government look “laughable.”

Vida said the executive branch had initially deferred to the Senate’s protective custody over Dela Rosa and respected the legal process surrounding his petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO).

“Kawawa naman tayo, nagmumukha tayong katawa-tawa (It’s pitiful, we end up looking laughable),” Vida said, questioning whether the senator escaped or was aided in fleeing (“pinatakas o nakatakas”). /mr