Bato dela Rosa will be arrested ‘without delay,’ says NBI chief
MANILA, Philippines — National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag said on Thursday that the bureau will carry out the order of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to arrest Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa “without delay.”
This came after the DOJ earlier on Thursday ordered the NBI and the Philippine National Police to enforce the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against dela Rosa in connection with his supposed involvement in the bloody war on drugs of the Duterte administration.
READ: NBI always ready to arrest dela Rosa following DOJ’s order
“In carrying out the arrest, we will strictly abide by the rules and ensure it is done professionally, as we always do,” Matibag said in a statement.
“Fugitive Senator dela Rosa will be arrested whether he likes it or not because we have to implement the law without fear or favor,” he added.
During a press conference earlier on Thursday, DOJ Secretary Fredderick Vida said that “the Philippine law enforcement agencies, which would include the PNP and the NBI, are now tasked to effect the arrest” of the senator.
This came a day after the Supreme Court denied dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order to block local law enforcement from arresting him based on potential ICC or foreign warrants without a Philippine court order.
‘Full cooperation on Senate incident probe’
Matibag also said that the NBI is in “full cooperation” with the fact-finding panel the DOJ established to conduct a comprehensive case build-up on the incidents that transpired at the Senate complex between May 11 and May 14.
READ: DOJ forms team to probe Senate chaos, Bato dela Rosa’s exit
He said the NBI is committed to a “transparent, truthful, and orderly inquiry” regarding the agents’ attempt to serve dela Rosa’s warrant on May 11, when the senator first reappeared after his six months of hiding.
The NBI’s attempt to serve the warrant took place two days before the Senate shooting incident between the bureau’s personnel and the Senate Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms on May 13, hours before the senator escaped the Senate building on the earlier morning of May 14.
Matibag said that the NBI granted the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group full access to all available video recordings, radio communications, and other relevant materials in its possession related to its operations from May 11 to 13.
Dela Rosa was taken under the Senate’s protective custody for three days prior to his escape, or from May 11 to May 14. /mr /das
