Grace Nancy Dela Rosa, wife of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, has appealed to the Philippine judiciary not to allow her husband to be brought before an international court in The Hague, Netherlands.
In a public statement, Nancy Dela Rosa said that Filipinos should be tried within their own country and argued that Philippine institutions should handle cases involving Filipino citizens and officials.
She urged members of the judiciary not to permit what she described as the voluntary surrender of another Filipino to a foreign court. According to her, allowing such a move would suggest that local courts are incapable of resolving the matter without international intervention.
Dela Rosa also described the issue as being driven by politics and appealed to judges not to be influenced by what she called technical arguments and debates while the situation involving her husband remains unresolved.
She said time is a critical factor and expressed concern that delays in judicial action could increase the possibility of legal action being taken against the senator.
In her statement, she also referenced former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying Filipinos should not be surrendered to foreign jurisdictions. She appealed to the judiciary to defend the country’s sovereignty and fulfill its responsibilities to the Filipino people.
Dela Rosa said decisions made by the courts regarding the matter would have a lasting impact and would be remembered in the country’s history.
The appeal comes as authorities have identified Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa as a fugitive following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court.
The warrant is related to allegations connected to the anti-illegal drug campaign conducted during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Nancy Dela Rosa ended her statement by asking the judiciary to protect the country’s sovereign rights and carefully consider its decisions regarding the case involving her husband.
