Hontiveros: Caucus to tackle ICC naming Go, Dela Rosa as co-perpetrators
[Updated Feb. 18, 2026, 8:44 p.m.]
MANILA, Philippines — Opposing views among senators on matters surrounding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) disclosure of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s co-perpetrators in his brutal drug war campaign will surely be discussed in an all-member caucus, according to Deputy Majority Leader Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Hontiveros was asked to comment on Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson’s view that there should be a local court order for any ICC warrant to be implemented.
“I’m almost sure that will also be discussed in our caucus. As a member of the Senate, the dignity of the Senate as an institution is, of course, important to me. And I repeat to everyone that in issues like these, the highest consideration is accountability,” said Hontiveros.
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Prior to this, Hontiveros made clear that under the law, a senator may be arrested as long as the offense is not punishable by imprisonment of less than six years, and as long as the Senate is not in session.
“What the Senate President and I are saying refers to tradition. The tradition is that a senator is not arrested here while the Senate is in session. If there is confusion about that, I expect that we will discuss this tradition in our caucus,” she said.
“In the meantime, I also expect our law enforcement authorities to carry out their duties in situations like this. I repeat, the highest consideration is accountability, and consistently from the very beginning, I have been calling for and standing firm on accountability in cases such as extrajudicial killings, crimes against humanity, or even corruption,” she added later on.
Hontiveros said she’s still waiting for the final word from the leadership as to when the caucus would be held.
She, however, emphasized that with an urgent matter such as this, everyone would surely attend once they set an invite for the said meeting.
The ICC previously disclosed the names of eight former and current officials, including Sens. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, who were identified by the Office of the Prosecutor as part of the “hierarchy” in ex-President Duterte’s brutal drug war.
According to a document made public by the ICC’s Pre Trial Chamber I, the eight individuals wielded “de facto authority” over those who pulled the trigger — the local police and other gunmen who were at the bottom of the chain of command of assassins that originated from the Davao Death Squad when Duterte was city mayor.
In a separate ambush interview also on Wednesday, Go maintained that the ICC’s ruling was unfair, unfounded, and one-sided.
“I firmly dispute the allegations in that document which are entirely unfounded, one sided and very unfair on my part,” Go told reporters.
“Our fellow countrymen know the work I have done. I always keep in mind that my work is in accordance with the law of man and in accordance with the law of God,” he added.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said they have not set a schedule for an all-member caucus.
“That’s nothing, it was only said in the media that there was such a thing. We have not received anything yet, we have no official notice that there is such a thing, Senator Bong Go has not received anything yet.
As a matter of fact, Senator dela Rosa has not received anything either. So we are not discussing anything,” he said.
He, however, said that the senators can tackle the matter if that’s what most want, pointing out that he’s just waiting for whatever suggestions his colleagues would make.
Sotto refused to answer whether or not the arrest of Go and dela Rosa is doable at present.
“Because the question first is, is there an arrest? It’s being assumed ahead of time. Your question and the people’s question are getting ahead of events. So before we hold a caucus, is there really one? Right? So, my answer, I’ll cross the bridge when I get there,” he said. /mr
