Lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, counsel for Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, maintained that the senator is neither armed nor dangerous amid efforts by authorities to implement an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement, Bondoc strongly disputed the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) characterization of dela Rosa as “armed and dangerous.”
According to Bondoc, it is the NBI that is armed because it deploys armed personnel to carry out the warrant. He also questioned the implementation of a warrant that, according to him, they have not yet seen and which has not passed through a local court.
The issue arose after authorities discussed procedures related to the possible enforcement of the ICC arrest warrant against the senator.
Earlier, NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag explained that labeling a person with an arrest warrant as “armed and dangerous” is a standard precaution observed during law enforcement operations.
Matibag said operatives are trained to prepare for the possibility that a subject of an operation could be armed. He emphasized that such classifications are part of standard security measures intended to protect personnel involved in serving warrants.
Bondoc, however, rejected the description as it applies to dela Rosa and argued that the characterization does not reflect the senator’s situation.
The lawyer also appealed to authorities to exercise restraint and ensure that proper legal procedures are followed in the implementation of the law.
The differing positions of Bondoc and the NBI highlight the continuing debate surrounding the enforcement of the ICC warrant against dela Rosa, with both sides emphasizing their respective interpretations of due process and security protocols during law enforcement operations.
