Jonvic: ‘Powerful’ people coddling Bato

MANILA, Philippines —  Authorities already know where Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is hiding and are negotiating with people supposedly protecting the fugitive senator, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said yesterday.

“We know where he is. There are negotiations with his protectors,” Remulla said in an interview with “Storycon” on One News.

Dela Rosa, who is facing an arrest warrant before the International Criminal Court as a “co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity case of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is being protected by what Remulla described as “very powerful people.”

Remulla declined to identify Dela Rosa’s coddlers or disclose where the senator is being hidden.

“Let me get to the bottom of it first. And when it’s done, we will confirm everything with you,” Remulla said.

He said the government is avoiding an armed confrontation in arresting Dela Rosa because it could result in “body bags.”

“There will be casualties,” Remulla said when asked why negotiations were necessary.

He said authorities want Dela Rosa to surrender peacefully and are prepared to use the government’s available means to compel him to come out of hiding.

Remulla said authorities would use “all the levers of government” to force Dela Rosa out of hiding, including “economic and military” measures.

He declined to elaborate.

Dela Rosa has been in hiding since May 14 when shooting erupted at the Senate.