By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called for “swift and aggressive” police action to enforce the law and arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Malacañang said on Saturday, stressing that no time should be wasted in carrying out the operation.
“Mas mabilis at agresibong pagkilos ng mga pulis — ‘yan ng utos ng Pangulo. Ipatupad ang batas at hulihin ang dapat na hulihin (Faster and more aggressive action by the police — that is the President’s order. Enforce the law and arrest those who must be arrested),” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a statement.
Castro said Marcos supports the actions of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), and law enforcement agencies in pursuing Dela Rosa’s arrest.
The statement came after the government on Friday announced a PHP50-million bounty for the capture of Dela Rosa, whom the DILG declared the country’s “most wanted person” and classified “armed and dangerous.”
Dela Rosa was last seen in public at the Senate in May. He has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for his alleged involvement in the drug war under the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Authorities have given Dela Rosa, who was Duterte’s first national police chief, one week to surrender.
The Senate minority bloc appealed to Marcos and concerned agencies to work with Dela Rosa’s legal counsel toward a peaceful resolution that respects the law, protects lives and upholds the senator’s rights.
Castro, however, emphasized the need for law enforcement authorities to act decisively, adding that the situation could have been avoided had Dela Rosa surrendered to authorities.
She also expressed dismay at those who allegedly helped Dela Rosa leave the Senate premises.
“Kung walang nagplanong magpaangkas o magpasakay ng libre sa pagtakas ni Sen. Bato mula sa gusali ng Senado at isinuko na lang sana siya kay (DILG) Sen. Jonvic (Remulla) ay hindi ito hahantong sa ganitong paglalagay ng PHP50 million bounty sa paghuli kay Sen. Bato (If no one had planned to provide a ride or a free ride for Sen. Bato to escape from the Senate building, and if he had simply been surrendered to Sen. Jonvic, this would not have led to the current situation of offering a PHP50 million bounty for Sen. Bato’s arrest),” she said.
Castro stressed that no one should have to die in the performance of police duties and urged those involved to stop resisting authorities.
“Walang dapat mamatay sa pagganap sa tungkulin ng mga pulis para maaresto si Sen. Bato, kaya huwag na silang magmatigas dahil hindi aatras ang kapulisan natin (No one should have to die in the performance of their duties as police officers to arrest Sen. Bato, so they should stop acting tough because our police force will not back down),” she said.
“Tumatakbo ang bawat minuto, dapat mas mabilis na pagkilos. Suportado ng Pangulo ang hakbang ng DILG, DOJ at mga law enforcer (Every minute count and action must be taken more swiftly. The President supports the actions of the DILG, DOJ and law enforcers),” Castro added. (PNA)
