A law expert has called the statements from Senator Ronald dela Rosa's camp a folly, as they insist that a local court warrant is needed before enforcing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to Atty. Jose Roy III, former defense lawyer in the impeachment case of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, the Rome Statute clearly states that a case can only be brought to a local court after the individual with an ICC warrant has been arrested.
Atty. Roy emphasized that Dela Rosa must first surrender and be arrested before he can seek recourse from a local court, in accordance with ICC procedures. This statement comes after arguments from the senator's camp that seemed to suggest the ICC warrant cannot be immediately enforced without local court approval.
However, the senator's lawyers disagreed, noting that the legal battle would be different once a Filipino citizen is in custody and could be immediately detained abroad, similar to the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
For Atty. Israelito Torreon, it is important for his client to exhaust all legal remedies before facing the issue at the ICC.
