Sen. Ronald `Bato鈥� Dela Rosa. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳here鈥檚 no reason for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to share its findings with United States President Donald Trump, a Palace official said.
That鈥檚 because the US 鈥渞espects鈥� the Philippines鈥� prerogative regarding the arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
But Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa made a suggestion otherwise, believing it is appropriate for the panel to forward its findings to Trump so that the assets of the aircraft owner that brought Duterte to the Netherlands can be frozen.
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Dela Rosa said this was in accordance with an executive order (EO) recently signed by Trump, stating that any non-American person or organization can face sanctions if they assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating, arresting, or prosecuting a 鈥減rotected person鈥� without the consent of their country of origin.
`Protected person鈥�
A 鈥減rotected person鈥� refers to a U.S. national or military personnel or any individual who is a lawful resident of a U.S. NATO ally or a 鈥渕ajor non-NATO ally,鈥� a designation the Philippines holds.
But during Monday鈥檚 briefing, Castro rejected dela Rosa鈥檚 suggestion by citing a portion of the same EO that the senator was referring to:
鈥淭he United States remains committed to the accountability and to the peaceful cultivation of international order at the ICC. And the parties to the Rome Statute must expect the decisions of the United States and other countries not to subject their personnel to the ICC鈥檚 jurisdiction consistent with their respective sovereign prerogatives.鈥�
Castro explained in a mixture of Filipino and English, 鈥淪o, this means that through this executive order, the United States respects the prerogatives of countries that are considered its allies. Therefore, whatever prerogative our country exercises, the U.S. will respect it.鈥�
Chartered plane
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Castro, in a briefing on March 14, confirmed that the Office of the President paid for the chartered plane that brought Duterte to ICC headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.
She said this was part of the administration鈥檚 commitment to comply with the International Criminal Police Organization.
This was not the first time that Dela Rosa criticized the Marcos administration over Duterte鈥檚 arrest.
The senator had previously accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of breaking his promise not to cooperate with the ICC on Duterte鈥檚 case.
鈥淗e told me before: 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry, I will never cooperate with the ICC because after you, who鈥檚 next? It might be us.鈥� That鈥檚 what he told me,鈥� dela Rosa told reporters in Filipino in a phone patch interview with Senate reporters.
This allegation was shrugged off by Castro, pointing out that dela Rosa could easily defend himself before the ICC if he is indeed innocent.