The Office of the Solicitor General has urged the Supreme Court of the Philippines to dismiss the petitions filed by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa seeking to block the implementation of a possible arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, describing him as a “fugitive from justice.”
In its comment before the high court, the OSG said Dela Rosa was allegedly “manipulating the legal system to evade an international arrest warrant” linked to the ICC investigation into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
The government also argued that Dela Rosa’s motions before the SC amounted to a “catch-all proceeding” that violated court procedures.
“The essence of fugitive behavior is not limited to crossing national borders but extends to any deliberate effort to place oneself beyond the reach of lawful judicial process,” the OSG said, citing a previous Supreme Court ruling.
Dela Rosa resurfaced on May 11 to cast the deciding vote that installed Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president amid reports of a possible ICC arrest warrant against him.
He was later placed under Senate protective custody after claiming that agents of the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to stop him from entering the Senate complex.
However, following the May 13 gunfire incident inside the Senate premises, Dela Rosa reportedly left the building before dawn and his whereabouts remained unknown as of posting time.
In his petition, Dela Rosa asked the SC to stop the government from cooperating with ICC-related communications and sought access to Interpol notices and inter-agency documents connected to the case.
He also asked the court to automatically convert his petition into a writ of habeas corpus should he be arrested, arguing that no Philippine court had issued a warrant against him.
The OSG opposed the request, saying the documents being demanded are covered by executive privilege because they involve “international relations, diplomatic law enforcement cooperation, and national security.”
The ICC has linked Dela Rosa as a co-perpetrator in the anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is also facing crimes against humanity charges before the international tribunal.
