Palace to Bato dela Rosa: Surrender to avoid bloodshed

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday urged Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, to surrender to avoid bloodshed.

The call followed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s statement that an attempt to arrest dela Rosa could result in 10,000 deaths. Remulla said he received information two months ago that the senator, who was last monitored in Mindanao, was being protected by an armed group.

READ: Jonvic Remulla: Arresting Sen. dela Rosa could lead to 10,000 deaths

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“Just surrender so that no more blood will be shed. At the same time, we know that the law must prevail over those who are harboring them. So, do not serve as an instrument for people who should be held accountable under the law,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said at a briefing.

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“Do not serve as a bridge for people who should be held accountable to escape those they allegedly victimized,” she added.

Castro also described the alleged protection of dela Rosa by an armed group as a “national threat” but declined to disclose details of the operations to arrest the senator.

“These kinds of groups…[are] the ones undermining institutions and obstructing the enforcement of the law,” she said.

“Is this an associate of Senator Bato dela Rosa? Shouldn’t we also find out what kind of group this is so that its members can be held accountable for their abuses? Is this the situation we want after the president’s term ends, where individuals who could potentially face legal charges are instead sheltered by organizations or groups that appear accustomed to violence?” she asked.

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READ: PNP: Other raps over Senate shooting, Bato Dela Rosa escape up to DOJ

Dela Rosa escaped before dawn in May from the Senate, where he had been given safe refuge after agents from the National Bureau of Investigation tried to arrest him on a warrant from the ICC.

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He fled in a vehicle belonging to Sen. Robin Padilla around 2:30 a.m., hours after a standoff and shooting involving law enforcement and Senate security. /mcm