MANILA – The Supreme Court of the Philippines En Banc, during a special session on Wednesday, ordered respondents to comment on motions filed by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa seeking protection from possible arrest and transfer in connection with the International Criminal Court investigation into the drug war.

In a resolution issued in G.R. No. 278747, filed by former president Rodrigo Duterte and dela Rosa against Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and other officials, the Court directed respondents to submit comments on dela Rosa’s Urgent Manifestation with Omnibus Motion and Extremely Urgent Supplemental Manifestation with Motion within a non-extendible period of 72 hours from receipt.

The SC said the resolution would be deemed served once uploaded on the eCourt PH system and published on the Court’s website.

The Court also ordered dela Rosa to file his reply within 72 hours after receiving the respondents’ comment.

The SC added that the directive was “without prejudice” to the Court taking interim or urgent measures requested by dela Rosa if necessary.

On May 11, dela Rosa filed the Urgent Manifestation following reports that the ICC had issued an arrest warrant against him in relation to its investigation into the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

In his motion, dela Rosa asked the Court to issue a temporary restraining order, writ of preliminary injunction, or status quo ante order to prevent his arrest, detention, or transfer without prior judicial authorization.

He also questioned the legality of a subpoena issued by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group directing him to appear at Camp Crame over alleged extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Davao City police director.

Later the same day, dela Rosa filed a supplemental manifestation alleging that operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to block his entry into the Senate session hall.

He also claimed that former senator Antonio Trillanes IV presented what he said was a copy of an ICC arrest warrant against him.

Dela Rosa asked the Court to prohibit the NBI and Trillanes from arresting or detaining him or from serving any ICC warrant or other foreign-issued document.