Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Sen. Ronald dela Rosa wants to return to Senate sessions but has stayed away due to concerns over how a possible International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant might be enforced.
Speaking to reporters in Taguig City, Cayetano said dela Rosa is seeking assurances from the government that his legal rights would be protected if any foreign-issued warrant is carried out in the country.
He said the senator’s camp wants clarity that any action on an ICC warrant would still pass through Philippine judicial processes.
“I talked to someone very close to him. Ang sabi, simple lang—ma-assure lang siya ng Philippine government na may day in court siya dito,” Cayetano said, adding that dela Rosa is open to due process as long as it is observed locally.
Cayetano said the concern centers on the possibility that an arrest could lead to immediate transfer abroad without what the senator’s camp considers proper legal proceedings in the Philippines.
He clarified that he was not taking a position on the legality of the issue but said he understood dela Rosa’s hesitation given the uncertainty surrounding reports of a so-called “secret warrant.”
He likened the situation to security advisories in other contexts, noting that even protective agencies may restrict movement when risks are perceived.
“Even security services will advise leaders not to go to certain places if there are threats,” he said.
Cayetano also said dela Rosa’s absence should not be seen as voluntary, stressing that the senator still intends to participate in legislative work but is constrained by legal concerns.
“So, hindi voluntary ang pag-absent ni Sen. Bato. Gustong-gusto niyang pumasok sa session,” he said.
Dela Rosa has been absent from recent Senate proceedings amid ongoing political and legal tensions involving investigations linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte and international legal developments.