Dela Rosa using Senate to shield himself from accountability – Kabataan

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, | PHOTO: Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is just using the Senate to shield himself from accountability for the Duterte administration’s drug war, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said on Friday.

After the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, dela Rosa said he would seek protection from Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero if the International Criminal Court (ICC) also issued an arrest warrant for him.

Duterte was arrested on Tuesday by virtue of an ICC warrant. He is facing a case at the ICC for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the drug war. Dela Rosa was the chief of police during the drug war.

“Bato dela Rosa now wants to use his position as a senator to protect him,” Manuel said in Filipino at a protest at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

“He’s running for the Senate again just to hide from his crimes. He’s going to use the Senate as a shield from accountability once more,” he added.

READ: Bato dela Rosa to seek Senate protection from ICC 

“It’s clear to us that the bloody and fake drug war wouldn’t be possible without Rodrigo Duterte’s orders and through the actions of the police force… led by Bato dela Rosa,” the lawmaker also said.

READ: The fall of ‘The Punisher’: Rodrigo Duterte’s path to the ICC 

According to government data, around 6,000 people died in the war on drugs, but human rights groups estimate the death toll to be as high as 20,000. (By Keith Irish Margareth Clores, INQUIRER.net trainee)