Human rights lawyer Kristina Conti criticized the reported ₱50-million bounty for the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, saying it underscores the Marcos Jr. administration’s failure to implement the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against the former police chief.
In a statement, Conti said the reward highlights both the government’s alleged inability to enforce the warrant and the influence of Dela Rosa’s political allies.
She recalled that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) allegedly allowed Dela Rosa to evade arrest in May 2026.
“The amount is so staggering it may be the highest ever placed on someone’s head,” Conti said, noting that ₱50 million is equivalent to the average annual income of about 190 Filipino workers based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Occupational Wages Survey.
Conti also questioned the use of public funds in pursuing the senator’s arrest, pointing out that Dela Rosa continues to receive compensation as a public official.
She described the situation as a “bitter irony,” particularly given what she said authorities have demonstrated they can do when they choose to enforce the law.
The lawyer further argued that while Dela Rosa has publicly said he intends to exhaust legal remedies, he has yet to directly challenge the ICC warrant before the court that issued it.
“He can question the issuance before the court that issued it, the ICC. As far as we know, he has not filed anything there,” Conti said, adding that the Philippine Supreme Court has also not acted on his claims regarding the warrant.
Conti urged Dela Rosa to surrender to Philippine authorities and participate in ICC proceedings, saying this would save time, money, and effort while allowing him to avail himself of due process protections.
“There, he can expect the highest standards in human rights and due process. And that is priceless,” she said. # (ZIA LUNA)
