Bato Dela Rosa, Oscar Albayalde may be served ICC arrest warrant next
Following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Bato Dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde may be served their warrant of arrest soon by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
ICC assistant to counsel Atty. Kristina Conti shared in an interview that Dela Rosa and Albayalde may follow in Duterte's footsteps.
"May tatlong pangalan kasing binanggit doon sa mga dokumento ng ICC. Noon pa man sinisilip nila na responsible: Duterte, Bato dela Rosa at Oscar Albayalde," she told DZBB Super Radyo on March 12.
"Senator Bato Dela Rosa, who would be considered one of the persons most responsible. Oscar Albayalde, who has also been named in the documents as liable. Malinaw para sa amin na si Duterte ang puno't dulo nito kaya okay na 'yung may mauna kaysa mahuli siya," she told in a separate interview with ANC.
Conti added that there may be three other ex-PNP officials who may be liable for the bloody war on drugs.
"May dagdag na tatlong kapulisan diumano parang sangkot din, pero unofficial pa 'yung documents patungkol sa kanila," she said.
In the documents by ICC's Office of the Prosecutor first released by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV in July 2024, other ex-PNP officials named as suspects were former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Romeo Caramat Jr., former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, and former PNP Intelligence Officer Eleazar Matta.
"Nakikita ko lalo na kapag magsisimula ang trial kay Duterte, mayroong mauungkat pa na dagdag ebidensiya o impormasiyon tungkol sa participation ni Bato, Oscar Albayalde," Conti said. "Kalaunan, madagdagan pa 'yan."
Dela Rosa breaks silence after Duterte's ICC arrest
Dela Rosa was noticeably silent after Duterte's ICC arrest on Tuesday, March 11.
His main office was closed, though his staff were there in his extension office.
According to a report by The Philippine STAR, his media relations officer Cedie Dela Rosa said only a few of his staff at the Senate are present due to the session break and the ongoing campaign period. She, however, didn't give details on where Dela Rosa has been.
The senator broke his silence a day after Duterte's ICC arrest on social media.
"If all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then I don't want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat," he wrote on his Facebook page. "I am ready to join the old man hoping that they would allow me to take care of him."
Dela Rosa and Albayalde's involvement in the drug war
Dela Rosa was one of Duterte’s leading hands in implementing the bloody war on drugs, serving as the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for almost two years from July 2016 to April 2018.
Amid the ICC probe on Duterte’s controversial drug war, Dela Rosa said that the international tribunal is all about “control” and not for justice. He added that they do not have jurisdiction to conduct an investigation in the country following the Philippines' withdrawal of membership.
In his interview with One PH last March 4, Dela Rosa said that he is ready to face the ICC.
"Hindi ako natatakot, bring it on," he said. "Basta ako handa lang ako na just in case, mag-issue sila ng warrant of arrest laban sa akin, sa amin, I am ready to challenge them before the Supreme Court if indeed itong ICC ay mayroong jurisdiction sa ating bansa," he added.
However, Dela Rosa couldn't be reached via call or text on March 12 when Duterte was arrested, per News5. According to his media officer, the senator has no official statement yet but assured that they will update if there are developments. His staff did not respond to media when asked whether Dela Rosa was still in the country.
Despite admitting in 2017 that the PNP did not achieve the “total victory” on the anti-drug campaign that resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings, Dela Rosa said that he has “no regrets."
“If you are going to give me the chance to do it again, I will do it again. The same approach,” Dela Rosa told the media in October 2024.
“You can't fight a war, especially against the drug personalities, by being disente, by being pa-cute-cute. [There’s] no way you can win the battle, win the war [against drugs with that]. You have to be forceful enough to send your message down the spine of these criminals,” he added.
Dela Rosa is seeking another term as senator in the 2025 elections.
Meanwhile, Albayalde became the second police chief under the Duterte administration. The former police chief maintained there were “no human rights” violated during the war on drugs.
“Ang pinatupad po natin is ‘yung ating tinatawag na Oplan Double Barrel, na wala naman pong nakasaad doon na every time meron kang nahuhuli ay pinapatay ‘yung mga nahuhuli. Ang nakasaad doon is to intensify ‘yung operations against illegal drugs,” he said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News in May 2024.
Albayalde added that all of their police operations were legal.
“Wala naman po kaming natanggap na unlawful order coming from the Commander-in-Chief nun. Siguro naririnig ng mga tao na kapag nagsasalita sa tv si dating PRRD, pero sa amin po wala siyang ginawa ni personal call, wala po siyang sinabi na ganun sa’min,” he said.
“Motu proprio, pagkatapos po ng isang police operations, ay tinitingnan ‘yung kung ano ang pwedeng naging lapses, kung meron mang pananagutan ‘yung mga pulis natin sa baba. Meron tayong mga finile-an na nakita natin na that there is an irregularity sa kanilang police operations,” he added.
During the House of Representatives committee on human rights hearing, he said there was no quota system under his command, contrary to what Duterte confirmed in the separate hearing.
Despite this, Albayalde said that he is ready to face the ICC probe.
“Kung talaga pong ganyan ang kahihinatnan ng ating serbisyo sa publiko for more than 37 years, then handa po tayong harapin,” Albayalde told reporters in July 2024. “Handa po natin harapin ang hamon na yan.”
During his stint, he also faced a controversy about the anti-drug raid by his men who were tagged as “ninja cops” in Pampanga in 2013, where he allegedly benefitted in the selling of the seized contraband, which he denied.
But the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group maintained that Albayalde was aware of the irregularities of the operation but remained mum.
He resigned from his position as police chief and went on non-duty status in October 2019. He is seeking a mayoral seat in Angeles City, Pampanga, in the 2025 midterm elections.
