ILOILO CITY — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa declared on Friday that he is prepared to surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if a warrant is issued against him for his role in the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs.
Speaking at a PDP-Laban rally in Iloilo City, Dela Rosa defended the campaign, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, and said he has no regrets.
“If that’s my fate, so be it. What matters is that I did what needed to be done,” he said. “I’m ready to go anytime. My life is already on the line because of this advocacy. But I will never back down.”
Dela Rosa, who once served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under former President Rodrigo Duterte, acknowledged that he previously considered going into hiding if an arrest warrant were issued. Now, he said he must remain “flexible” in facing the situation.
Duterte is currently detained at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague after his March 11 arrest for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the drug war.
Dela Rosa also claimed that the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) is behind Duterte’s ICC case, alleging that the group weaponized the international tribunal to their advantage.
Meanwhile, the ICC continues to build its case, with Prosecutor Karim Khan confirming the compilation of witness testimonies, nearly 9,000 pages of documents, and hours of video evidence for the next hearing scheduled for September 23.