COME TO THINK OF IT
By Ade S. Fajardo
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa stands accused before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC warrant for Dela Rosa’s arrest was signed in November last year. It was made public only last May when he attended the Senate session to vote for Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president.
He then “escaped” Senate protective custody after a volley of gunshots reverberated across the premises.
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Obstruction of justice charges have been leveled against Senators Cayetano and Robin Padilla for allegedly aiding Dela Rosa in that escape.
They knew of the existence of a duly issued warrant of arrest, which obligates law enforcement officers to submit the accused to the jurisdiction of the issuing court.
Dela Rosa continues to evade the law as the nation grapples with the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
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The ICC warrant of arrest itself spells out the allegations against Dela Rosa.
Firstly, he used his former position as Davao City police chief to enable the killings perpetrated by the Davao Death Squad.
He conceived and implemented the “tokhang” style of police operations in Davao City.
This was magnified nationally when he became chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2016.
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When he was PNP chief, Dela Rosa regularly made public statements authorizing, “condoning and promoting the killing” of alleged criminals.
Among his first written issuances was Command Memorandum Circular (the “CMC”) No. 16-2016. It set out the PNP anti-illegal drugs campaign plan, coupled with the message that its implementation entailed the commission of crimes, including unlawful killings.
He used his power over the PNP to enable killings, including the assignment of personnel to the relevant enforcement entities.
He also provided logistical resources such as weapons and bullets.
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The ICC has also preliminary determined that Dela Rosa appointed key personnel to strategic police positions in order to further the execution of the plan to elevate “tokhang” to the national stage.
Thus, he transferred police perpetrators from the Davao region to use them in other priority regions.
The police, who were promised impunity, legitimized the killings through fictitious or contrived self-defense scenarios. They were ordered to kill specific targets and plan killing operations.
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The ICC trial chamber says it has found reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa acted with intent and knowledge of the killings underlying the crime against humanity of murder.
This knowledge can be inferred from his foregoing actions while he sat in high leadership positions in the PNP.
The ICC ordered his arrest because “there is no reasonable expectation that he would cooperate with a summons to appear issued by the court.”
The court cites his having threatened an investigator of the prosecution.
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The ICC also chided Dela Rosa for labeling as “traitors” those cooperating with the ICC investigation.
His arrest warrant is necessary because he has been fueling “disinformation campaigns” in the Philippines.
The fact that Dela Rosa has made himself scarce by hiding confirms the ICC judges’ suspicions./WDJ