If elected president, Bato will protect Duterte, himself vs ICC investigation

“Hindi lang si President Duterte protektahan ko, pati sarili ko dahil dalawa kaming co-accused diyan sa kaso na ‘yan, ‘di ba? Protektahan ko rin sarili ko,” dela Rosa told ANC when asked if he will allow the ICC investigation if he becomes president of the country..

The senator said that he will allow the international body to "observe" in the Philippines but not investigate. He noted allowing the ICC to look into the drug war is a "slap" to the Philippines' justice system.

“To be frank with you, I will allow them to come into the Philippines and observe for themselves. Pero to conduct investigation? Sampal ‘yan sa ating judicial system, sampal yan sa ating Supreme Court, sampal yan sa ating mga courts,” the presidential candidate said.

“Our judicial system is perfectly functioning, bakit sila makikialam dito?”

Dela Rosa, who is running as PDP-Laban’s standard-bearer for the next polls, was the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from 2016 to 2018, the period of the administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.

The ICC last September approved the conduct of a full investigation on the alleged crimes against humanity relating to the Philippines’ drug war.