Only Dela Rosa can decide on his surrender, lawyer says

MANILA — The decision on whether Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa will surrender before the Friday deadline set by the government rests solely with him, his legal counsel said.

“He knows already the pros and cons, if he will surrender or not,” lawyer Israelito Torreon told ABS-CBN News.

Torreon said he last spoke with Dela Rosa in May, when the senator appeared at the Senate after not being seen in public since 2025.

The senator’s lawyers this week filed a manifestation before the Supreme Court for a fresh review of its earlier denial of a temporary restraining order against his arrest.

They cited developments like the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s announcement of a P50-million bounty for information leading to Dela Rosa’s arrest.

“We have the obligation to inform the Supreme Court about it in order to convince the same that these supervening events would now merit [their] action,” Torreon said.

The lawyer questioned the legal basis for the bounty, arguing that there was no Philippine-issued warrant of arrest for Dela Rosa.

He maintained that an International Criminal Court warrant cannot automatically be treated as equivalent to a warrant issued by a Philippine court.

“There must be a proper petition in Philippine court in order for this order to be treated like a Philippine-issued warrant of arrest,” Torreon argued.

The lawyer also questioned the procedures used in declaring Dela Rosa a wanted person and setting the P50-million reward, saying the amount was not supported by clear parameters.

He also raised concerns about the source of the funds, arguing that confidential funds and intelligence funds are distinct and subject to separate rules.

“It would encourage armed civilians to take the law into their own hands,” Torreon also said.

He likewise questioned the government’s characterization of Dela Rosa as armed and dangerous, saying authorities should explain their basis for saying that.

Torreon said his client’s camp is asking authorities to reconsider the classification, which he claimed could put the senator’s life at risk.

Despite the legal challenge, the government’s Friday deadline for Dela Rosa to surrender remains a key development in the ongoing search for the senator, who is reportedly under the protection of an armed groupin Mindanao.