EXTENDING due process to fugitive Sen. Ronald dela Rosa does not mean granting him immunity or shielding him from the International Criminal Court (ICC)-it means ensuring he faces trial without sparking bloodshed.
That was the stern reminder issued on Tuesday by Sen. Panfilo Lacson as the high-stakes manhunt for the fugitive lawmaker takes an increasingly perilous turn, complete with a multi-million peso bounty and warnings of potential violence.
Lacson clarified his position regarding his fellow Philippine Military Academy (PMA) alumnus, stressing that basic human rights apply to everyone-even those facing international tribunal warrants. However, he rejected the notion that due process should allow Dela Rosa to permanently evade accountability.
‘To me, due process means allowing Senator dela Rosa to face trial before the ICC rather than risk violence and worse, tragedy,’ Lacson said on Tuesday.
The statement comes amid heightened tension following the government’s announcement of a P50-million bounty for information leading to dela Rosa’s arrest. The high price tag on the former top cop was accompanied by a grim warning from the Interior Secretary, who previously hinted that arresting the senator could turn into a high-risk operation resulting in multiple casualties.
Dela Rosa, who served under Lacson during their years in the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (Paoctf), has deep ties to law enforcement and security forces across the country.
Speculation over dela Rosa’s whereabouts reached a fever pitch following reports that armed groups in Mindanao might be harboring him. However, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) issued a formal statement earlier Tuesday flatly denying allegations that it was coddling the fugitive senator.
Dela Rosa, a long-time loyalist of former President Rodrigo Duterte, possesses an extensive network of active and retired uniformed personnel as well as armed supporters in the southern Philippines.
The former police chief went into hiding late last year after learning that the ICC had issued a warrant for his arrest. The charges stem from his role as the chief architect and executor of the Duterte administration’s controversial ‘war on drugs’ from 2016 to 2018, during which thousands of operational killings were recorded.
Dela Rosa’s months in hiding were briefly interrupted by a dramatic, unexpected appearance at the Senate on May 11, where he cast his vote for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano during the Senate presidency race.
His brief return to public life ended abruptly two days later on May 13, when a chaotic shooting incident erupted inside the Senate premises-prompting dela Rosa to slip away under the cover of confusion and vanish back into hiding.
As authorities intensify their efforts and the P50-million reward hangs in the air, Lacson urged all parties to prioritize a peaceful surrender over a bloody confrontation, maintaining that dela Rosa must ultimately answer the charges in The Hague.