The “Senate protective custody” currently extended to Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa will no longer be justifiable once a Philippine court issues an order to surrender him to the International Criminal Court – unless the Supreme Court restrains or reverses it, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson also stressed anew that there are legal remedies available to dela Rosa, adding he must avail of all of them.
“Senate protective custody: legal or not, it cannot be justified anymore when a domestic court issues an order to surrender Senator de la Rosa to the jurisdiction of the ICC, unless the Supreme Court restrains or reverses the order,” he said on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: ‘Senate Protective Custody,’ Hindi na Justifiable Kapag May Utos ng PH Court na Isuko Siya; Dapat Gamitin ang Legal Remedies
Senate protective custody: legal or not, it cannot be justified anymore when a domestic court issues an order to surrender Senator de la Rosa to the jurisdiction of the ICC, unless the Supreme Court restrains or reverses the order.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 13, 2026
Lacson also reiterated that dela Rosa, his former subordinate at the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) who surfaced amid a leadership change at the Senate last Monday, should exhaust all legal remedies available to him.
He recalled that when he was in hiding and evading arrest as a “fugitive from injustice” in the early 2010s, he was backed by an existing and valid jurisprudence in Miranda v. Tuliao (G.R. No. 158763, March 31, 2006) which allowed “an accused to file certain motions — such as a motion to quash a warrant of arrest — even if he is not yet under custody of the law” – which is now superseded by a new Supreme Court ruling that limits the same rights available to him at the time.
On the other hand, Lacson maintained that the authority of domestic courts must be acknowledged and respected, including in the case of action from the ICC.
“International warrant yan, bound tayo ng treaty pero kailangang bigyan natin ng pagpapahalaga ang domestic court. So may international warrant, kailangan dalhin muna natin sa local court na siyang mag-i-issue kung ano ang authorization or subsequent warrant of arrest para ipatupad ang arrest warrant na in-issue ng ICC (In the case of an international warrant, we are bound by a treaty but we still must respect our domestic courts. So in the case of the ICC, it must be brought to a local court that will issue an appropriate authorization or warrant allowing the enforcement of the ICC warrant),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
Meanwhile, Lacson said he intends to clarify Senate Resolution 395, which he signed along with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, Risa Hontiveros and Benigno Aquino IV, which urged dela Rosa to, among others, “voluntarily surrender” and “seek judicial remedies in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and applicable laws and rules.”
“My understanding of the proposed Senate resolution is for Sen. dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender after seeking and exhausting all judicial remedies but failing to get judicial relief. I will have this matter further clarified during the interpolation and amendment of the proposed resolution,” he said.
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Lacson: ‘Senate Protective Custody,’ Hindi na Justifiable Kapag May Utos ng PH Court na Isuko Siya; Dapat Gamitin ang Legal Remedies
Ang “Senate protective custody” na ipinagkakaloob ngayon kay Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa ay hindi na magiging makatwiran kapag may inilabas nang utos ang isang korte sa Pilipinas na isuko siya sa International Criminal Court (ICC) – kung hindi ito babaligtarin ng Korte Suprema, ani Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules.
Iginiit din ni Lacson na may mga legal remedies na pwede niyang gamitin sa kanyang sitwasyon.
“Senate protective custody: legal or not, it cannot be justified anymore when a domestic court issues an order to surrender Senator de la Rosa to the jurisdiction of the ICC, unless the Supreme Court restrains or reverses the order,” aniya sa X.
Muling iginiit din ni Lacson na dapat gamitin ni dela Rosa, ang dati niyang tauhan sa Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) na lumutang sa gitna ng pagbabago ng liderato sa Senado nitong nakaraang Lunes, ang lahat ng legal na remedyo na nakalaan para sa kanya.
Binanggit ni Lacson na noong nagtatago siya bilang “fugitive from injustice” noong 2010s, ginamit niya ang “existing and valid jurisprudence” na Miranda v. Tuliao (G.R. No. 158763, March 31, 2006) kung saan ang isang akusado ay maaaring mag-file ng “certain motions — such as a motion to quash a warrant of arrest — even if he is not yet under custody of the law” – bagama’t ito ay na-supersede ng bagong Supreme Court ruling kung saan mas limitado ngayon ang karapatan.
Muling binigyang-diin ni Lacson na dapat kilalanin at igalang ang kapangyarihan ng mga domestic court, kabilang na sa mga usaping may kaugnayan sa ICC.
“International warrant yan, bound tayo ng treaty pero kailangang bigyan natin ng pagpapahalaga ang domestic court. So may international warrant, kailangan dalhin muna natin sa local court na siyang mag-i-issue kung ano ang authorization or subsequent warrant of arrest para ipatupad ang arrest warrant na in-issue ng ICC,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB.
Samantala, balak ni Lacson na linawin ang Senate Resolution 395, na kanyang nilagda kasama sina Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, Risa Hontiveros at Benigno Aquino IV. Sa resolusyon, hinimok si dela Rosa na mag-“voluntarily surrender” at humingi ng “judicial remedies in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and applicable laws and rules.”
“My understanding of the proposed Senate resolution is for Sen. dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender after seeking and exhausting all judicial remedies but failing to get judicial relief. I will have this matter further clarified during the interpolation and amendment of the proposed resolution,” aniya.
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