Daven Tamayo

Bato appeals to Marcos Jr.: 'Don’t send me to The Hague'

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- A teary-eyed Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Tuesday appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to not surrender him to the International Criminal Court (ICC).Dela Rosa said the appeal was not just for him, but for every Filipino.“Sana, huwag niya akong ipadala sa the Hague,” Dela Rosa asked the President.“Hindi ako nagpayaman sa serbisyo. Nagtrabaho ako nang husto. Faithfully. Kaya I do appeal po dito sa kanya. Hindi lang para sa akin kung &#x27;di para na rin sa lahat ng mga Pilipino na malagay sa ganitong sitwasyon. Hindi natin alam pagdating ng araw, ikaw rin, Mr. President, haharap sa ganitong sitwasyon. Ikaw rin, Mr. President, ang magkaproblema na ganito,” he added.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/12/-they-want-us-to-vanish-bato-blames-duterte-critics-for-icc-arrest-warrant-1309">Bato says ICC arrest warrant based on ‘fabrication’ by Duterte critics</a></div>Dela Rosa said he was at the lowest point of his life.“Very low. The lowest point of my life,” Dela Rosa lamented. “Lahat ginawa ko. Tapos ganito mangyari sa’kin?”The lawmaker said he will stay in the Senate for the meantime given the issuance of the ICC warrant against him.The Senate on May 11 placed him under its protective custody and said Dela Rosa cannot be arrested inside the chamber.Dela Rosa is hoping for the issuance of a temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court on the ICC warrant.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/read-the-icc-s-unsealed-arrest-warrant-against-dela-rosa-2356">READ: The ICC&#x27;s unsealed arrest warrant against Dela Rosa</a></div>Meanwhile, he said he will continue performing his job.“I will wait for the Supreme Court&#x27;s decision. Marami kaming pending appeals doon sa Supreme Court,” Dela Rosa mentioned. “Business as usual.”He also remained firm that he will not surrender to the ICC.“Filipino ka, you have existing Philippine laws. Bakit magpapa-try ka doon sa mga banyaga? This is an attack to our sovereignty,” Dela Rosa remarked.He maintained that he was not behind the killing of anyone during the War on Drugs.“This is all about politics,” Dela Rosa said. “Wala akong pinatay na tao. At wala akong inutusan na patayin ninyo yan.”“Ang role ko is para mag-lead sa War on Drugs. And it doesn&#x27;t mean pag War on Drugs ay patayin lahat ng tao,” he added.Dela Rosa was named as an indirect co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.<div> </div><div>&#x27;FILIPINO COURT&#x27;</div>According to Dela Rosa, he is ready to face any case so long as it is before a Filipino court.He is also ready to face the subpoena against him from the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in relation to alleged extrajudicial killings in the Davao region when he was director of the Davao City Police and regional director in the Davao region.He said he will send his lawyers to the CIDG on May 14 if he is unable to do so.Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said they will receive an ICC warrant but gave a caveat.“Kailangan dumaan sa korte. Yun lang naman. Pag dumaan sa korte, ma-exhaust lahat ng legal remedies, kami na mismo ang kakausap kay Senator Bato na sumuko na,” Cayetano said.  Dela Rosa thanked Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla for supposedly giving him a heads up when he announced in November 2025 that there was a warrant against the senator.“Pasalamat ako sa inyo, sir, salamat at nabigyan mo ako ng advance info na mayroon akong warrant. Thank you. At naka-enjoy ako ng 6 months by my lonesome,” Dela Rosa said.

A teary-eyed Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Tuesday appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to not surrender him to the ICC.

A teary-eyed Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Tuesday appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to not surrender him to the ICC.