MANILA, Philippines – Hinimok si Senador Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa na ipaliwanag sa International Criminal Court (ICC) ang umano’y katungkulan nito sa drug war ng administrasyong Duterte, ayon sa dalawang mambabatas ng Kamara.
Ayon kay House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre at House Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon, dapat ay harapin ni Dela Rosa ang isyu at linawin ang kanyang kaugnayan sa brutal na pagpatay sa mga sangkot sa illegal na droga, kung saan nagsilbi siyang Philippine National Police (PNP) chief sa nakalipas na administrasyon.
“Sana harapin na lang ni Sen. Bato ang asunto niya sa ICC, para makaharap niya na din at madinig ang malulungkot na kwento ng mga naulila ng mga napatay noong drug war,” saad sa joint statement nina Acidre at Bongalon nitong Sabado, Setyembre 21.
“He keeps distancing himself from the thousands of deaths during the war on drugs, but he was the PNP Chief during that time.”
“He cannot deny that he played a central role in the implementation of the bloody drug war,” dagdag pa.
Nagtataka naman si Bongalon kung bakit si Dela Rosa ay “continues to evade responsibility” sa kabila ng posisyon bilang police chief nang ipatupad ang anti-drug campaign.
“Sen. Bato cannot just brush aside the ICC’s investigation. He was at the helm of the police force when the most egregious human rights abuses were committed. It is his duty to explain what happened,” sinabi ni Bongalon.
Sinabi rin ng mambabatas na sa pagdinig ng House quad committee hearings, napag-alaman na ang “police forces were given orders to shoot on sight.”
Dahil dito ay nagkaroon ng tanong si Bongalon na, “How can Sen. Dela Rosa deny his involvement when the bloodiest parts of the war on drugs were carried out under his command?”
Binatikos nina Acidre at Bongalon ang pananahimik ni Dela Rosa sa isyu.
“His silence here in Congress is disconcerting. But he cannot stay silent forever. Justice demands answers, and if he won’t give them here, the ICC will ask for them,” ipinunto ni Acidre. RNT/JGC
