MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said the deadline given to fugitive Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, which expires Oct. 29, was intended to give him chance to surrender voluntarily and peacefully, but if he does not take the opportunity, the authorities will hunt him down “with no mercy” until he is captured.
The government earlier this week offered a P50-million reward for information leading to dela Rosa’s capture and issued a one-week deadline for the senator to surrender. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla added that a “no mercy” approach would apply if dela Rosa ignores the deadline.
In a press briefing in Cagayan de Oro, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said a voluntary surrender would avoid a dangerous or violent confrontation.
Castro also criticized attempts to spin the information regarding the P50-million bounty by linking it to Super El Niño disaster response allocations, explaining that each government agency operates under distinct and mandated budgets.
“A matter concerning El Niño is entirely different from the matter of arresting those who need to be held accountable. So you cannot combine funds meant to curb the El Niño issue with funds meant to combat crime and apprehend culprits,” Castro said.
The Palace press officer reminded dela Rosa that as a former Philippine National Police chief and a current senator, he should set an example by respecting the law and the authorities instead of hiding or serving as an idol to fugitives.
Castro also addressed arguments concerning the lack of a local court warrant, pointing out the provisions of Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, noting that cases involving crimes against humanity initiated while the Philippines was still a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2017 can be pursued by the international tribunal.
Regarding intelligence reports suggesting that dela Rosa is under the protection of an armed group, Castro issued a warning, urging anyone harboring the senator to love their country and abide by the law rather than contribute to criminal activity.
“I hope that you love your country, uphold our nation’s laws, and ensure that we do not become the reason for the further spread of crime here in the Philippines,” she said.
Wife’s appeal
Nancy dela Rosa, wife of the fugitive senator, appealed to her husband’s influential former allies not to use him for personal or political agendas, urging them to offer support rather than persecution.
In a social media statement confirmed by their daughter, Cedie dela Rosa, Nancy expressed gratitude to the public, stating that their support reaffirmed that “millions still believe” in the former PNP chief.
“I just pray that the powerful few, who were also his friends, would come to realize he is not their enemy nor the enemy of this state,” Nancy wrote. “Please do not use him for your personal agenda. He has helped you in countless ways, and he has done you no wrong personally. He needs your help, not your persecution.”
Dela Rosa is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for leading the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs, and has been in hiding since slipping out of the Senate in May.
