ICC: ‘BATO’ MOST RESPONSIBLE SA KILLINGS SA ‘DRUG WAR’

INIHAYAG ni International Criminal Court assistant to counsel Kristina Conti na nakikita nilang si Senador Ronald dela Rosa, dating Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, ang “most responsible” sa patayan na may kaugnayan sa ‘drug war’ ng nakaraang Duterte administration.

Sa kanyang naging papel sa pagpatupad ng drug war ng nakaraang administrasyon, hindi maaaring ikonsidera si Dela Rosa bilang “insider witness” sa ongoing investigation ng International Criminal Court (ICC), ayon sa abogado na nagre-represent sa mga biktima ng madugong anti-drug campaign.

“Given the signals from the Office of the Prosecutor, I would say that there are at least two persons thought to be most responsible for the killings,” sabi ni Conti sa “Storycon” sa One News nitong Martes, Aug. 13.

“The word that they use is ‘the most responsible’ or ‘those who bear the greatest responsibility.’ (They don’t) mean one person. In the case of pre-sident (Rodrigo) Duterte, what ties him to the war on drugs is his statements, his policy pronouncements. But who implemented that? It was Senator Dela Rosa and the Philippine National Police,” sabi pa ng counsel ng ICC.

Si Dela Rosa ang unang Chief PNP ni Duterte na siyang pumirma sa Command Memorandum Circular 16-2016, ang naglatag ng guidelines sa tinawag nilang ‘Project Double Barrel’.

Ang direktiba ay magsagawa ng ‘Oplan Tokhang’, na naging daan ng deadly police operations laban sa umano’y mga sangkot sa iligal na droga.

Sinabi pa ni Conti na tinitingnan din ng ICC ang mga patayan na iniuugnay sa tinatawag nilang Davao Death Squad, kabilang din dito si Dela Rosa noong hepe siya ng Davao City Police.

“I would say it is unlikely that he would be ex-culpated or called upon as a ‘state witness.’ Against who?”, giit ni Conti.

“For Senator Dela Rosa, he really has to lay down his cards: what does he know and up to what extent is he willing to push for this cooperation with the ICC?”, dagdag niya.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Dela Rosa na hindi siya makikipag-coordinate sa ongoing investigation, pero sinabi niyang handa siya magpa-interview.

Si Dela Rosa ay isa sa mga pinangalanan ng ICC Office of the Prosecutor bilang suspek sa kanilang imbestigasyon.

Kabilang din sa mga suspek sina dating PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde, dating PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. na direktor ngayon ng Northern Luzon Command, National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo at dating PNP chief intelligence officer Brig. Gen. Eleazar Matta na kasalukuyang hepe ng Drug Enforcement Group.

Nang tanungin kung si Caramat ay maaring maging insider witness, sinabi ni Conti na bahala na ang ICC sa pagdetermina kung aalukin nila ito ng deal kapalit ng pagtestigo.

Sinabi ng ICC official na si Caramat ay “high enough in the ladder, but low enough” paar sabihin siya ay walang naging papel sa direktiba sa pagpatupad ng drug war.

Sinabi ni Conti na ang mga biktima ng drug war ay umaasa kasunod ng bagong developments, kabilang ang ongoing probe ng House of Representatives.

“There are at least 6,252 police operations where people died… this is too much of a coincidence, so we need to look at the policy,” diin ni Conti.

“There could already be a warrant, and they are finding a way to implement it,” dagdag niya, sinabing tanging ang ICC o ang Philippine government ang makapagkukumpirma nito.

Kapag naisyu ang warrant, ang Presidente ang maaring mag-utos sa PNP na ipatupad ito, sabi ni Conti.

Nagbanta naman si Dela Rosa na maaring magkaroon ng “constitutional crisis” kapag inaresto ng ICC si Duterte.

Sa kanyang privilege speech noong Lunes, Aug. 12, sinabi ni Dela Rosa na ang kaso ay hindi lamang sa pagitan ng ICC at ni Duterte, kundi Philippine sovereignty.

“This is not merely an issue of the ICC against former president Duterte. This is, in fact, a looming constitutional crisis. Will we hold our sovereignty firmly? Or will we just let it slip from our hands?” tanong ni Dela Rosa.

“There is a disaster looming, and it is coming in on the horizon. It is up to us to decide if we will let it take its toll and further damage our nation, which has been divided for decades due to the color of politics,” diin niya.