Bato on changing heart if ICC warrant comes: ‘Pabago-bago nga ang ating presidente, ako pa, hindi magbabago?’

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. Photo: Senate/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa defended his change of strategy from facing an arrest warrant to possibly hiding from it as an equal adjustment to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not being firm on commitment of not cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Pabago-bago nga ang ating presidente, ako pa, hindi magbabago? Sabi nga ni Pangulong BBM, ‘Gabuhok mo hindi mahawakan ng ICC,’ kaya naniwala naman tayo. Naniwala naman tayo. Ngayon, nagbago na ang isip niya,” Dela Rosa said in a radio interview.

The lawmaker who was initially rumored to likewise be a subject of the ICC warrant served to the former president last March 11 said his statements and actions are only reactions to the moves of the Marcos government.

“Ako pa? ‘Yung atin namang mga ginagawa ay purely reactions lamang. Magbago sila, magbago rin tayo. Alangan hindi tayo magbabago eh lugi tayo kung hindi tayo magbago, ‘di ba? Sila pabago-bago, mag-adjust din tayo sa kanila, hanggang reaction lang naman tayo. Sila ang nagbibigay ng stimulus sa ating reaction,” he said.

In previous statements, Dela Rosa remained firm that he would only face trial before Philippine courts. He insisted that he had to exhaust all options including bending previous personal convictions to defend his rights and freedom.

“Hindi pupwedeng magiging fixed tayo. Otherwise, sitting ducks tayo kapag tayo’y fixed ang ating posisyon…Sana maintindihan ninyo. I have to survive. I have to survive all these trials that are thrown before us,” he said.

“Kailangang kung ganito katuso ang gobyerno na kaharap mo, kailangan marunong ka rin mag-adjust,” he said.

This decision of the senator earned sharp rebuke from the Malacanang who highlighted the irony of him being a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and yet evading arrest.

“Nakakapagtaka lamang po na siya ay dati pang PNP Chief, iyan po ba ang gusto niya ring ipahiwatig sa taumbayan na kapag may warrant of arrest ay dapat magtago?” Malacanang Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing Thursday.

“Hindi po talaga tayo magtataka kung bakit natagalan sumuko or nahuli ang dating si Pastor Quiboloy,” Castro said.

Dela Rosa has been questioning the arrest of the former president and filed a petition challenging the legality of the Philippine government’s surrender of the former president to the ICC.

The former top cop has maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines as the country has already withdrawn from the Rome Statute.

Meanwhile, the government defends its position that the former president was surrendered to international authorities not by virtue of the Rome Statute, but through Republic Act 9851 or the International Humanitarian Law.

Bato says he might hide if arrest warrant comes, won’t surrender to ICC

Escudero: Senate won’t allow arrest of Bato inside its premises

Bato to Torre: Huwag sana tayong magpakalasing sa power

Bato revives death penalty push for drug traffickers

ICC-tagged Bato slams drug ‘resurgence’ like street candies

House Quad Comm recommends filing criminal raps vs Du30, Bato, Go, former top cops