Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa will question the Senate leadership if the International Criminal Court (ICC) will gain access to the transcript of the first hearing conducted by the Blue Ribbon Committee on the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the previous Administration.
Dela Rosa insisted on Tuesday, November 5, that the Senate should align with the position of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines.
"Yung stand ng Executive branch of government na hindi natin i-recognize, sana yung Legislative branch also will follow the same line," Dela Rosa told reporters in the Senate.
"We should take the cue from the President. Since sinabi ng President, being the chief architect of the foreign policy, sundin natin yung lead ng Pangulo," the senator added.
If the Senate allows the ICC to receive a copy of the transcript, Dela Rosa warns that the move can be viewed as tantamount to recognizing the jurisdiction of the tribunal over the Philippines.
"Our government is very consistent in declaring that ICC has no jurisdiction over us," he stressed.
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier said that the Upper House of Congress will issue a certified copy of the transcript to anyone as long as they give a valid reason.
Dela Rosa believes that Escudero should scrutinize and prevent any attempt to provide the ICC with a transcript of the hearing held last October 28.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte attended the said hearing.
Under oath, the former Chief Executive made several revelations, including naming Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief and police director of Davao City, as one of the commanders of the Davao Death Squad.
The ICC has an ongoing investigation on the alleged extrajudicial killings committed during the War Against Drugs of the Duterte Administration.
