Senator Bato dela Rosa. Senate PRIB/File 

MANILA — Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said Wednesday he is ready to join former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague in the Netherlands "if all legal remedies are exhausted." 

The Supreme Court said Dela Rosa and Duterte, who sought a temporary restraining order from the court on Tuesday, had "failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right for the immediate issuance of a TRO."

Supporters had hoped the court would issue a TRO before a chartered flight left the Philippines to bring Duterte to the Netherlands.

Dela Rosa, who implemented the drug war in the early years of the Duterte administration said in December he would seek SC relief if the ICC orders his arrest.

"If all legal remedies are exhausted and still justice is to no avail, then I don’t want my family to suffer from cops looking for a heartbeat," he said Wednesday, a possible reference to the Philippine National Police manhunt for Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy last year.

"I am ready to join the old man hoping that they would allow me to take care of him," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Duterte fails to get immediate Supreme Court reprieve after arrest

Dela Rosa's main office at the Senate building is closed.

Cedie dela Rosa, the senator's media officer and neice explained the senator has two physical offices at the Senate. The main office is closed because of the congressional recess and the campaign period.

is not there due to the congressional recess and campaign period.

Their extension office remains open.

"[M]ost of the staff are doing field work because we are campaiging since campaign period po," Cedie dela Rosa said.

DUTERTE CHILDREN FILE PETITIONS AT SC

Duterte's children, Baste and Veronica Duterte, have filed separate petitions asking the SC to order the Philippine government to bring their father back to Manila and explain his arrest.

“Both petitions have been raffled off to a Member-in-Charge for appropriate action,” the SC’s Public Information Office said. 

The House of Representatives adopted its quad committee's recommendation to file criminal complaints against Duterte, Dela Rosa and another reelectionist Sen. Bong Go over alleged extrajudicial killings during the "Tokhang" implementation.

House recommends criminal raps vs ex-President Duterte, Bato, Go over alleged EJKs

In an interview on ABS-CBN's Harapan 2025, Dela Rosa said he has no regrets over the drug war.

"Hindi ako nagsisisi. In fact, nagpapasalamat pa ako." he stressed, "Wala akong babaguhin. Kaya nga ako naging senador dahil doon sa drug war."

(I don't regret it. In fact, I am thankful. I would not change a thing. I became a senator because of the drug war)

He also dismissed the claims that thousands were killed in the drug war.

"Actually, ang official data ay 6,000 plus lang. Kahit na 6,000, marami pa rin yan. ‘di ba. But then again, alam mo, kung hindi mo seryosohin yung war on drugs, walang war na mangyayari. Patuloy ang drugs. Walang war. So, kailangan talagang, alam mo na, seryosohin,” he added.

(Actually the official data is just more than 6,000. Even if that is just 6,000, that is a lot, right? But you have to take this seriously. Without the war, the drug trade would continue)

Meanwhile, Professor Ben Saul, UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter terrorism, said he welcomes Duterte's arrest as it is a step in "ending impunity".

"I welcome the arrest of former Philippines President Duterte on an International Criminal Court warrant — one step towards ending impunity for international crimes," he wrote on X. — with RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

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