Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said the government has set a P50-million reward for the capture of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who has continued to ignore surrender calls by the authorities since he disappeared in May.
The announcement, made during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday, Oct. 23, came almost a year after the International Criminal Court issued Dela Rosa’s arrest warrant for allegedly being the “co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity case of detained former president Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Remulla said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has given dmDela Rosa, who is now considered “armed and dangerous,” an ultimatum of one week to surrender peacefully.
“We have given him (Dela Rosa) all the courtesy that could be afforded as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He has shown nothing but cowardice by remaining in hiding. Sen. Bato mistook my gesture of negotiation as a sign of weakness. It’s time for the gloves to come off. It’s time to bring justice to his victims,’’ Remulla said.
Meanwhile, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said during the same briefing that the police force is always ready for Dela Rosa’s arrest whether it be peaceful or with an armed confrontation.’’
“Of course, we would like to have a peaceful resolution of whatsoever conflicts, especially in the implementation of any warrant whether search warrant or arrest warrant,’’ he said.
Nartatez said a dedicated group of police officers, headed by Deputy Chief for Administration Lt. Gen. Wilson Lopez, is being created for Dela Rosa’s manhunt.
The operation will start from the organization of the intelligence teams “to locate him, including tactical teams and up to the time that he will face the trial at ICC.”
Nartatez vowed that organized groups or every individual proven to be dmDela Rosa’s coddlers will face lawful consequences.PNA
