The Supreme Court has rejected Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa's bid to compel Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to produce a copy of the supposed arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. The request relates to the crimes against humanity case over the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs. Dela Rosa filed the motion on November 12.
On November 12, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa filed a very urgent motion with the Supreme Court to compel Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to produce a copy of the supposed arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court, in connection with the crimes against humanity case over the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs under former President Rodrigo Duterte. He also submitted a 25-page “very urgent manifestation” seeking a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction to prevent illegal arrest or surrender to a foreign court without due process.
According to the SC Office of the Spokesperson, the court denied the motion to compel production of the warrant but directed respondents to comment on the manifestation within a non-extendible 10 days from notice. Dela Rosa asked the high court to take judicial notice of Remulla’s statements and to direct the Department of Justice and Department of Foreign Affairs to certify the existence or absence of any official ICC-related warrants or communications.
On One News’ “Storycon,” Remulla insisted he possesses the ICC arrest warrant and that the official copy would be released in due time, declining to disclose its source. The ICC does not publicize arrest warrants to avoid alerting targets, and a new Interpol rule keeps such warrants secret until executed.
In his motion, Dela Rosa also sought a directive for Remulla to file a sworn explanation on how he obtained the alleged document, from whom, when, and under what authority. The manifestation urged the court to compel the government to refrain from transmitting ICC-related communications, enforcing the warrant or red notice against him, and extending assistance to ICC witnesses pending resolution. Former President Duterte, arrested on March 11 and currently detained at the ICC facility in The Hague for drug war killings, was named as a petitioner alongside Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa’s counsel, Israel Torreon, stated they would file a motion for reconsideration. “As a lawyer and an officer of the court, he should be made to explain as to why he has a copy of the alleged warrant, from whom he secured the same and under what authority was his source able to secure a copy of the warrant,” Torreon said in a statement.