Bato Dela Rosa praises Justice chief, gov’t officials ‘with balls’ vs ICC

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla attends the Committee on Justice and Human Rights organizational meeting on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa heaped praises on Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla for standing firm against rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Remulla was among those who defended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s earlier pronouncement that the Philippines would no longer rejoin the  ICC.

“I’d just like to thank the good Secretary of Justice for his very clear and bold stand against rejoining the ICC,” Dela Rosa told Remulla during the hearing of the Senate committee on justice on Wednesday.

“It may be self-serving on my part, Mr. chair being one of the accused, to say this, but I can’t help but appreciate government officials with balls, Mr. Chairman,” the senator added.

Dela Rosa was the police chief when former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration launched the bloody war on drugs.

They were among those charged before the ICC for allegedly committing crimes against humanity.

“So magpapasalamat lang po ako. (I just want to thank you.) We really need people in the government that can stand against all odds,” Dela Rosa went on.

“Again, Secretary Remulla,  from the bottom of my heart I really appreciate what you said against rejoining the ICC,” he said.

Earlier, the Justice chief said the Philippines would not be a pariah with its decision not to rejoin the international tribunal.

“The US, Russia and China are not members of the ICC, but they are not pariahs to other nations. It’s our choice not to join, hindi natin kailangan sumabay sa uso [We don’t need to go by the trend],” Remulla said then.

“I think we are within our rights not to join,” he stressed.

JMS