‘Let’s end this with dignity,’ PNP appeals to Dela Rosa to surrender as ultimatum looms

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday renewed its appeal for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender as the one-week ultimatum for him to turn himself in expires on Friday, October 30.

“Let’s end this with dignity on your part,” PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said, urging the senator to avoid any violent encounter with authorities.

“Let’s avoid any untoward incident, any potential dangerous encounters or any harm that may come to anybody. We would like to avoid any injuries, any violent encounters and of course, pinakamasama is meron masawi dito sa operation na ginagawa natin,” he added.

Dela Rosa is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is seeking his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the previous administration’s war on drugs.

The PNP earlier launched hotlines to receive information on the senator’s whereabouts as authorities continue their efforts to locate and arrest him.

Despite the ongoing manhunt, Co said the police have yet to see the need to release a wanted poster for Dela Rosa.

“As of now, we have not yet released a wanted poster, and we will have to evaluate if the need arises at maglalabas ho tayo,” he said.

“Sino ba hindi nakakakilala sa itsura ni Sen. Bato? Everybody has heard that there is a P50-million reward for those who would be able to give his location,” he added. 

Co also defended the government’s P50-million reward for information leading to Dela Rosa’s arrest, rejecting concerns raised by the senator’s legal counsel that the bounty could encourage armed civilians to take the law into their own hands.

Israelito Torreon, Dela Rosa’s lawyer, had questioned the lack of clear guidelines on the reward, warning that it could create opportunities for abuse and corruption.

Co stressed that the bounty was intended to encourage people to provide information, not to authorize private individuals to arrest the senator themselves.

“It was very clearly stated that the P50 million reward, that is for pointing or giving tips as to the location or any information that would be given to us that will lead to the arrest of the senator,” Co said.

“Wala naman sinabi doon na you take him yourself or you arrest him yourself. Wala tayong sinabing ganun,” he added.

Asked about Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s statement that Dela Rosa was being protected by a powerful group, Co said authorities could not assume that the senator would remain in one location.

He declined to disclose operational details, saying these could compromise the manhunt.

“You cannot expect especially a wanted person to remain static in one place,” Co said.

He added that intensified operations and the reward offer would help narrow the scope of the search.

Co also explained why the PNP had categorized Dela Rosa as armed and dangerous, citing the senator’s alleged access to more than 90 firearms and his continued evasion of arrest.

“He is armed, he has more than 90 firearms still with him, and ‘yung dangerous categorization, there is propensity for him to evade arrest,” Co said.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa’s camp on Tuesday renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court to reverse its denial of a temporary restraining order that would prevent law enforcement agencies from arresting him.

Torreon maintained that the ICC warrant cannot automatically be treated as equivalent to a warrant issued by a Philippine court, arguing that it must first undergo the appropriate legal process in the country.

Co said the PNP respects the right of Dela Rosa’s camp to present its legal arguments but maintained that authorities would proceed based on their position that an existing warrant supports the arrest operation.

“Everybody is entitled to their own legal opinion, but we are sticking that he has an existing warrant,” Co said.

The PNP has yet to announce any change in its operations as the Friday deadline approaches, continuing to urge the senator to surrender voluntarily to avoid a potentially violent confrontation.