MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said it was considering offering a bounty for information leading to the arrest of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa who is currently in hiding as authorities seek his arrest.
“Pwede, we are considering that but apparently it is not effective yet so tingnan namin kung ano ang kailangan (let's see what's needed),” Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on the sidelines of the 4th PNP Press Corps National Headquarters, Inc. 4th Invitational Shootfest at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.
Authorities have failed to find the lawmaker in the simultaneous raids launched in various parts of the country but Remulla said they have “leads” as to the whereabouts of the former police chief.
Remulla said the challenge in finding dela Rosa that the authorities were executing searches in all the “7,467 islands” in the Philippines.
During the Senate standoff, Dela Rosa personally asked Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. if he could be detained at the PNP.
There were also no surrender feelers or communication coming from the senator’s camp.
Remulla meanwhile defended police operations done in different residences where Dela Rosa was believed to have been hiding. This was following the outburst of Nancy dela Rosa, the lawmaker’s wife, that a friend’s house had been searched without a warrant.
“Wala kaming navaviolate na police procedure (We have not violated any police procedure). Everything according to the rules of engagement finafollow namin (we follow). Wala kaming ginagawang tokhang (We are not doing any tokhang), we do not violate any rules. We do not aggressively go in na wala kaming sufficient grounds para pumasok (without sufficient grounds to enter),” Remulla said.. As to the findings of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) that the senator’s escape was “related” to the Senate fiasco, Remulla said, “We will have to find out. We do not know but apparently I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Apart from the raids that made news over the week, authorities have performing operations all over the country not only to arrest the senator but also to confiscate the firearms with revoked permits.
“Basically titingnan natin lahat nung mga (we are looking at their) whereabouts, known address as well yung the usual na pinupuntahan niya (places he goes to) and so including the address where his firearms are located. So nakipag negotiate (we negotiated) for them to turn in the firearms,” Nartatez said.
The PNP chief also warned dela Rosa’s fellow lawmakers if they planned to assist the senator.
“They know the consequences, especially if it's coddling or helping a person with a warrant of arrest,” Nartatez said.
