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Dela Rosa says Filipinos backing ICC probe 'do not love this country'

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Senator Bato dela Rosa. Senate PRIB/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/29/20220418-ph-senate-e-sabong-dela-rosa-sprib-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Senator Bato dela Rosa. Senate PRIB/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATED) — Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa on Wednesday expressed disappointment over Filipinos backing the International Criminal Court&#x27;s (ICC) investigation into the previous administration&#x27;s drug war, accusing them of &quot;surrendering&quot; Philippine sovereignty to foreigners. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/22/24/bato-urges-marcos-jr-to-reveal-truth-on-icc-probe">&#x27;Sabihan niyo kami ng harapan&#x27;: Bato urges Marcos Jr. to &#x27;reveal truth&#x27; on ICC probe</a></li></ul>Dela Rosa led former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s bloody war on drugs when he served as Philippine National Police chief from 2016 to 2018. &quot;Ewan ko bakit itong mga bleeding hearts gustong-gustong i-surrender yung atin sovereignty doon sa foreign bodies. Hindi sila nagmamahal sa ating bansa. They do not love this country. Gusto nilang babastusin yung ating mga korte,&quot; Dela Rosa told ANC&#x27;s Headstart. <figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2939624" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>The senator insisted that local courts are functioning and can prosecute those who are alleged of violating human rights during the drug war.&quot;Ang ating korte ay gumagana. Bakit naman ganon ang pag-iisip natin,&quot; he said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/04/24/bato-to-seek-deportation-of-icc-investigators">Bato to seek deportation of ICC investigators</a></li></ul>He added that pro-ICC Filipinos should be made to sing the national anthem &quot;1,000 times&quot; to signify their allegiance to the country.&quot;Siguro ang mga Pilipino na ito [dapat] pakantahin natin ng 1,000 times ng Bayang Magiliw (Lupang Hinirang),&quot; he said. <div>FEAR</div>Meanwhile, Dela Rosa admitted that he was scared of being locked up by the ICC only because he would miss his grandchildren.&quot;Hindi ako takot na sabihin mo meron akong na-commit na kasalanan, no, takot ako na makulong dahil kawawa yung mga apo ko, hindi ko na makikita,&quot; he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/23/23/malulusutan-ko-yan-bato-confident-he-can-get-through-icc-probe">&#x27;Malulusutan ko &#x27;yan&#x27;: Bato confident he can get through ICC probe on war on drugs</a></li></ul>&quot;Buti kung makulong ka lang dito sa Pilipinas. Eh ikukulong ka don sa The Hague. Ano ngayon? Paano makabisita mga apo ko. They will grow up lolo-less. So kawawa naman mga apo ko. I love my apos so much,&quot; he added.According to the ICC&#x27;s website, the court &quot;does not have its own police force or enforcement body [and] relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support, particularly for making arrests, transferring arrested persons to the ICC detention centre in The Hague, freezing suspects’ assets, and enforcing sentences.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/27/23/dela-rosa-rejoining-icc-needs-senate-approval">Dela Rosa says rejoining ICC needs Senate approval</a></li></ul>In a statement on Wednesday, Kabataan party-list criticized dela Rosa for &quot;playing the victim&quot; and challenged him to be &quot;brave enough&quot; to face allegations.&quot;Hindi pang-aapi ang imbestigasyon,&quot; Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said.&quot;Suwerte pa nga ni Sen. Bato dahil binibigyan pa siya ng due process at pagkakataong magpaliwanag, ‘di tulad ng libo-libong mga Pilipino, lalo mga kabataan, na pinatay sa pekeng gera kontra droga dahil lang pinaghinalaan ng mga pulis.&quot;Dela Rosa and Manuel, while he was president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, had previously clashed during a Senate hearing on proposal to make military training mandatory for students.&quot;Ang tunay na pagiging makabayan ay hindi pagtaboy sa ICC kundi ang paglaban para makamit ang hustisya para sa kapwa Pilipino,&quot; Manuel also said.Dela Rosa said he welcomes President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.&#x27;s latest pronouncement that the Philippines will not assist the ICC in its investigation.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/23/24/marcos-says-govt-will-not-lift-a-finger-to-help-icc-probe">&#x27;Threat to sovereignty&#x27;: Marcos says gov&#x27;t will &#x27;not lift a finger&#x27; to help ICC probe</a></li></ul><div>DILG SAYS &#x27;NO INFO&#x27; ON ICC PROBERS</div>Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Wednesday said his office had yet to receive any form of communication from International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators who allegedly entered the Philippines to look into the previous administration’s war on drugs.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said executive agencies and local government units would be barred from cooperating and answering questions from ICC officials. “We will follow the lead of the President,” Abalos said in a press conference in Malacañang.“As far as our office is concerned, I have no knowledge about this, no communication at all,” he said.While the DILG is inclined to snub ICC investigators, Abalos said that his agency is expected to meet with United Nations rapporteur Irene Khan, who is in the country to check the Philippines’ freedom of expression and opinion situation.“I think the discussion will be all about ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) and the Council of Anti-Terrorism,” he said, when asked about his meeting’s agenda with Khan.“Wala po tayong tinatago. We will be transparent. We are a democratic country,” he said.Khan arrived in the Philippines earlier this week, and is expected to spend 10 days in the country interviewing government officials and civil society groups. — With a report from Kat Domingo, ABS-CBN News

The senator insisted that local courts are functioning and can prosecute those who are alleged of violating human rights during the drug war.

Dela Rosa says Filipinos backing ICC probe 'do not love this country'

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Dela Rosa says Filipinos backing ICC probe 'do not love this country'

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 24, 2024 10:31 AM PHT

|

Updated January 24, 2024 01:08 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Bato dela Rosa

Ronald Dela Rosa

war on drugs

ICC

ICC probe

International Criminal Court

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