Philippine Senator says arrest imminent, urges public to block ICC transfer


Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa speaks during the founding anniversary of the Philippine National Police celebration at Camp Crame, in Quezon city Metro Manila, Philippines February 6, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

MANILA, May 13 (Reuters) - Philippine ⁠Senator Ronald dela Rosa said on Wednesday that ⁠his arrest was imminent and urged people to ‌mobilise to prevent him from being sent to the International Criminal Court.

Dela Rosa, the chief enforcer in former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte's deadly ​war on drugs, has been hunkered ⁠down in his Senate office ⁠for three days, fearing he would be arrested.

The ICCunsealed an ⁠arrest ‌warrant on Monday for the former police chief, dated November, on charges of crimes against ⁠humanity, the same crimes 81-year-old Duterteis accused of ​as heawaits trialin ‌The Hague following his arrest last year.

"I am ⁠appealing to ​you, I hope you can help me. Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague," dela Rosa said ⁠in a video posted on Facebook.

The ​Philippine National Bureau of Investigation, which dela Rosa said would be carrying out his arrest, did not immediately respond to ⁠a request for confirmation.

Dela Rosa, who showed up at the Senate on Monday for the first time since disappearing from public view in November, has appealed to President ​Ferdinand Marcos Jr not to hand ⁠him over to the ICC.

He has also filed an emergency ​petition with the Supreme Court urging ‌it to block any attempt ​to transfer him.

(Reporting by Nestor Corrales and Karen Lema; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by David Stanway)

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