Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa is "unbothered" by the International Criminal Court's decision to reopen its probe into the drug war he implemented during the time of then-president Rodrigo Duterte.
Dela Rosa further stated that he has not made plans for his legal defense if summoned by the international court, instead, he will avoid traveling to countries "loyal" to the ICC.
Dela Rosa also believes the ICC cannot arrest him while he is in the Philippines since the court has no jurisdiction over the country, which officially withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019.
He also stated that if charged, he will be represented by former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Harry Roque.
The ICC appeals chamber approved the continuation of its drug war investigation on Tuesday, dismissing the Philippine government's appeal against its previous ruling.
According to VERA Files, official documents given to the ICC as proof of the drug war name Dela Rosa, former President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, and Sen. Bong Go.
Previously, the International Criminal Court's appeals chamber concluded that Philippine courts could "only address the physical, low-ranking perpetrators and do not currently extend to any high-ranking officials."
A day before the ICC issued its judgment, Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Philippines would refuse to issue arrest warrants in connection with the ICC investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during anti-drug operations.
According to official government data, Duterte's drug campaign has resulted in 6,000 deaths, while local and international human rights organizations estimate the exact number to be between 12,000 and 30,000.
