Marilyn Cahatol

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. The hearing was also attended by officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways led by Sec. Vince Dizon, along with representatives of contractors implicated in alleged ghost and substandard projects nationwide. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176285352481420250918-senate-flood-control-bato-dela-rosa-JC0368 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Ronald Dela Rosa attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span>MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said a Philippine court should be the final arbiter if there is a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from the International Criminal Court (ICC).</div><p>On November 8, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced in a radio program that the said warrant has been issued. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said, however, that they were working to verify this. </p><p>Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the early years of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.</p><p>“Kailangan sa lahat ng laro may referee,” Cayetano told reporters on Tuesday. “Hindi puwedeng may tahanan na walang ama o walang ina. Hindi puwedeng may laro na walang referee. Ang referee, korte.”</p><p>“So kung anuman international body, whether it&#x27;s a state or a non-state, kung anuman ang magpapaaresto sa ating bansa, kailangan may oportunidad ang korte. Number two, kailangan ang korte masunod. So yun lang, ganun lang kasimple,” he added. </p><p>Cayetano said he has not talked to Dela Rosa since the alleged warrant was announced. </p><p>He advised him to prepare.</p><p>“Prepare at kapag alam naman nila kung ano magiging hitsura nung warrant kasi hindi ‘to una, nauna na yung kay President Duterte. So, tapos yung tamang ihahain sa korte,” Cayetano said. </p><p>“Kung may debate man, kung applicable sa kanya yung extradition rules o hindi, yung sinasabi ng DOJ, simple din lang eh, sino ba mag-re-referee? Kapag sinabi nung Ombudsman ganito, sinabi ni ES ganito, sinabi ni Bato ganito, sinabi ng media ganito, sino ba? Dapat korte, di ba? Yun lang pinaka-bottomline doon. Pagka tinanggal mo yung kapangyariyan sa korte, dictatorship na tayo,” he remarked. </p><p>Cayetano emphasized that an international court is not higher than a local court.</p><p>“In fact, your local, kailangan payagan yung international. Kaya nga puwede kang umalis sa treaty. We don&#x27;t have a world government, we have a Philippine government,” Cayetano stated. </p><p>He advised Philippine leaders to have faith in the country’s criminal justice system. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/9/rumored-icc-warrant-for-bato-raises-questions-on-how-and-if-one-would-be-implemented-2042">WRAP: Rumored ICC warrant for Bato raises questions on how, and if, one would be implemented</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>SENATE AS SANCTUARY? </strong></div><p>Cayetano hopes the situation will not push Dela Rosa to seek refuge in the Senate.</p><p>“I would say na sana hindi na, kasi ang kailangan mo ng sanctuary pag may extraordinary, di ba?” Cayetano stated. </p><p>“Why create that situation? So, if they think that they should arrest him, arestuhin niyo, dalhin niyo sa police, dalhin niyo sa korte, let him file what he has to file, the bail kung habeas corpus kung anuman, then let him have his day in court. Kasi pag dito magkakatensiyon pa tayo.”</p><p>More than talking about the Senate as an institution, he said what is important is the country’s democracy, freedom, and sovereignty.</p><p>Asked what will happen if Dela Rosa chooses to stay in the Senate, Cayetano said, “I don&#x27;t even want to go there muna because nga sa dami ng problema, isang malaking problema, credibility nung ating leaders. So do we want the debate to be whether puwede siyang hulihin dito? Hindi. I&#x27;d rather the debate be simple, have his day in court. Di ba? And hindi pa naman siya nag-intimate na dito siya.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/11/doj-says-yet-to-receive-rumored-icc-arrest-warrant-vs-bato-0907">Surrendering Bato to ICC also an option aside from &#x27;longer&#x27; extradition: DOJ</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MVZ_HPIQuC8?si=NM599wqzhAnHqYmD" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said a Philippine court should be the final arbiter if there is a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from the International Criminal Court (ICC).</p>

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said a Philippine court should be the final arbiter if there is a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Cayetano wants PH court to be final arbiter if ICC issued warrant against Bato

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Cayetano wants PH court to be final arbiter if ICC issued warrant against Bato

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 11, 2025 05:42 PM PHT

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warrant of arrest

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alan peter cayetano

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