Palace: World getting smaller for Bato

MANILA, Philippines — The world is getting smaller for fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Malacañang said yesterday, as it gave assurance that authorities are looking into all credible leads that could lead to his arrest.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has given Dela Rosa, who has a standing International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, one week to surrender, an ultimatum that expires today.

Dela Rosa, a former police chief who enforced the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war, is now being tracked by his former subordinates and has been in hiding since November last year. The government has offered a P50-million bounty for information leading to his arrest.

“The combined effect of heightened police operations increase public awareness and the bounty announcement has substantially narrowed the senator’s ability to move freely without drawing attention,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a media briefing, quoting the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Indeed, the world of Senator Bato is getting smaller because those who will see him may provide information immediately to the PNP and other law enforcement agencies,” she added.

Castro said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag has also received information about the possible whereabouts of the senator.

The task force led by PNP deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Joseph Lopez is ensuring seamless coordination among all concerned agencies to ensure that every relevant piece of information is properly validated and acted upon, she added.

“What we can assure the public is that all information received is being carefully and thoroughly assessed and credible leads are being acted upon without delay,” Castro said.

“The PNP, guided by the direction of the (secretary of the DILG), will continue to carry out its mandate professionally, lawfully and with full respect for due process while protecting the integrity of its ongoing operation,” Castro said.

PNP eyes wanted posters

The PNP is still studying whether to put up wanted posters of  Dela Rosa.

According to PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co, there is no need to put up a wanted poster of the senator for now.

“We do not see any need for now because first, who does not know who Senator Bato is?” Co said in a news briefing at Camp Crame.

Co added that Dela Rosa should consider turning himself over to the authorities to avoid a possible armed encounter which could lead to casualties.

“Let’s avoid any untoward incident, any potential dangerous encounters or any harm that may come to anybody,” Co said.

As Dela Rosa has yet to surrender 91 guns registered under his name, the PNP considers him “armed and dangerous.”

Return the bounty

The NBI will return to the government the P50-million reward for Dela Rosa’s arrest if its agents capture the lawmaker, Matibag said.

Matibag said the bureau could claim the bounty if it apprehended Dela Rosa but would likely return the money for public service, joking that it could instead go to the NBI’s retirement fund.

Law enforcement agencies and their members are not supposed to collect bounties.

“I am not the one to discuss the bounty because it is not for us. If we catch him, we will probably claim the bounty but then give it back to the government for public service,” Matibag told reporters, adding the NBI might consider donating the money to the agency’s retirement fund.

The P50-million reward was announced by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Oct. 23 as authorities intensified the manhunt for Dela Rosa, who has been in hiding since May 14 after an ICC arrest warrant against him was made public.

The PNP has given the senator until today to surrender, warning it is prepared to enforce the warrant if he refuses.

Both the PNP and NBI have formed dedicated tracker teams to locate the senator and is pursuing leads on his whereabouts.–  Emmanuel Tupas, Mark Ernest Villeza