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MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Frederick Vida made a warning to individuals helping Sen. Bato Dela Rosa hide or escape.
In a press conference on Thursday, May 21, Vida pointed out that individuals helping the fugitive lawmaker may be liable under the law, as the warrant of arrest against Dela Rosa issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is valid.
"Ang sa akin din mong pakiusap, those who might be aiding or abetting or helping Sen. Bato evade the law, there are consequences," Vida said.
(My appeal to everyone is this: those who might be aiding, abetting, or helping Sen. Bato evade the law, there will be consequences.)
"Alam natin na sa panuntunan ng rule of law may pananagutan. Pinagtago. Hindi lamang po sa mata ng batas ng Pilipinas. Pati rin po sa batas ng ICC," he added.
(We know that under the rule of law, there is accountability. He was hidden. This is a violation not only in the eyes of Philippine law, but also under the laws of the ICC.)
Vida emphasized that the government is pursuing the arrest of Dela Rosa to achieve justice for the victims, particularly the thousands of youth and toddlers whose families have been seeking accountability since 2017.
"Libo, dahan-dahan mga kabataan. Mga toddlers, 'di ba? We believe in a full account of all these ano 'yung mga namatay sa Pilipinas," Vida said.
(Thousands—mostly young people. Some were even toddlers, right? We believe in a full accounting of all these—the ones who died in the Philippines.)
"'Yung mga kababayan natin na naghahanap ng katarungan. Ngayon patay na sila eh. Hindi na sila pwedeng kumuha ng abogado. Hindi na sila pwedeng kumuha ng TRO," he added.
(Our fellow citizens who were looking for justice—they are now dead. They can no longer hire lawyers. They can no longer secure a TRO.)
Vida also said that law enforcement was ordered to effect the arrest of Dela Rosa.
He is wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity of murder over the alleged killings of at least 32 people allegedly committed between July 2016 and April 2018.
Dela Rosa is currently hiding after he escaped from the Senate on May 14. After six months of hiding, he appeared at the Senate on May 11 to vote for the ousting of former Senate President Tito Sotto.
He was given Senate protective custody by Senate President Allan Peter Cayetano after agents of the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to arrest him.
