THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has adopted new strategies to find and arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, with Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla saying on Wednesday that authorities remain on track despite the challenges posed by the senator’s law enforcement background.
Remulla, under pressure to show results more than two months since dela Rosa slipped away from the Senate to evade arrest on charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court, said the operation to find the fugitive senator was ongoing, but declined to provide details on the manhunt.
“We are on track. It’s an ongoing operation. I can’t say more, but we are actively pursuing him,” Remulla said.
Dela Rosa has not been seen publicly since the early hours of May 14, when he slipped out of the Senate with Sen. Robinhood Padilla after briefly appearing following an extended absence.
The Interior chief said locating dela Rosa has been difficult because, as a former police chief, he is familiar with standard law enforcement procedures. He noted that authorities face a similar challenge in tracking former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who has been in hiding for more than three years since he was charged with murder.
“They know all the police procedures. They know what the next step will be. They are one step ahead because they know the usual methods,” Remulla said.
