BETRAYAL begets betrayal, reads a quotation which best describes the predicament of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa who claims to have double-crossed after a change of heart by the Marcos administration in its position regarding the extrajudicial killings being investigated by the International Criminal Court.
In an interview with Senate reporters, Dela Rosa said he is holding on to the previous pronouncement of President Marcos, Jr – that he would not cooperate with the ICC.
“Otherwise, kung nag-iba na talaga eh, di nagdo-double talk lang ating Pangulo,” uttered Dela Rosa as his eyes sagged as if he wanted to shed tear.
“Pero kung hindi man, ibig sabihin there is a problem somewhere. It’s either hindi niya kontrolado ang Gabinete niya or siya mismo ang nado-double talk kung talagang mangyari yung ini-expect natin.”
According to Dela Rosa, he won’t subject himself to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) or the International Criminal Court investigating the previous administration’s war on drugs.
“Kung lalabas yung arrest warrant at ito’y isi-serve sa akin ng taga-Interpol, I will not submit to their jurisdiction…dahil alam kong wala silang jurisdiction sa atin,” Dela Rosa, who once served as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said.
Interestingly, he mentioned the Interpol during the interview, for which journalists asked what he would do if an arrest warrant is served.
He said that he would only submit himself to the PNP but only by virtue of an order from a Philippine court – not from anybody else.
“At kung sila’y tutulungan ng ating kapulisan ,well hindi ako makipag-giyera sa ating kapulisan. I will submit to the authority of our government… kung ang lahat yan ay kautusan ng ating korte. Pero ‘pag kautusan ng ibang ng other than our courts then I will not recognize it,” he added.
Amid talks on the arrival of the ICC prosecutor for the purpose of “interrogating” him and four other police generals, the former PNP director general said he would act accordingly provided “they make a formal communication.”
“Titignan ko kung paano yung laman ng communication at kung sabihin nila mag-interview lang then why not… But it doesn’t mean that I submit to their jurisdiction, it doesn’t mean that I recognize their jurisdiction over my person,” the senator added.
“Pero kung may itatanong sila sa akin ako ay isang matinong tao hindi ako bastos sasagutin ko ng tamang sagot ang itatanong sa akin,” he quipped. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
