Former congressman and Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Bayan Muna chairperson and senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares on Tuesday lashed Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa for aspiring to become president of the country just to protect himself and President Rodrigo Duterte from being prosecuted before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Colmenares said Dela Rosa is clearly “gravely mistaken” about his role as senator and for seeking the highest government post.
“Let me take this opportunity to remind Sen. Dela Rosa that the ICC works under the presumption of non-cooperation of the accused,” he said in a statement.
“Whether or not Dela Rosa and Duterte cooperate, the ICC will find a way to investigate, prosecute and punish them,” he added.
Colmenares continued to further point out to Dela Rosa that, “The presidency or any government position should not be used as a barrier versus criminal liability.”
“If I were Duterte or Dela Rosa, they better start preparing their defense in the ICC, Kasi sabi nga ng mga ka-DDS niya, ‘Kung wala kang ginawang masama, bakit ka naman matatakot?’,” he also said.
(If you have done nothing wrong, why should you be afraid?)
Dela Rosa said in an interview earlier on Tuesday that if he wins the May 2022 elections and becomes the president, he will not allow the ICC to conduct its probe over alleged crimes against humanity of Duterte’s bloody war on illegal drugs.
He said he would protect himself as much as Duterte, as the two of them are co-accused in the complaints filed by human rights victims and their families before the ICC.
It should be recalled that Dela Rosa, a long-time ally of Duterte, was a principal implementer of the so-called drug war of the administration as he was chief of the Philippine National Police when the brutal campaign started in July 2016.
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