THERE GOES Jonvic again. In what looks more like another PR stunt, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla claims the government knew exactly the whereabouts of fugitive Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
And yet not one law enforcement agency has arrested dela Rosa.
According to Remulla, “powerful people” are coddling the retired police general who is facing an arrest warrant before the International Criminal Court over crimes against humanity which took place during the previous administration.
TALKS WITH CODDLERS
The DILG chief then bragged about ongoing negotiations with people supposedly protecting the fugitive senator — “We know where he is. There are negotiations with his protectors,” Remulla was quoted as saying in an interview with “Storycon” on One News.
When asked who the supposed coddlers are, Remulla declined to say who or at least a hint on which part of the country dela Rosa is being kept — “Let me get to the bottom of it first. And when it’s done, we will confirm everything with you,” Remulla said.
Dela Rosa has been in hiding since May 14 when shooting erupted at the Senate.
BLOODY OPERATION
When asked what’s taking the government to arrest a fugitive whose whereabouts has already been established, Remulla insisted that they’re avoiding an armed confrontation in arresting dela Rosa because it could result in casualties stuffed inside “body bags.”
“There will be casualties,” Remulla said when asked why negotiations were necessary.
Pressed to elaborate on what the negotiation is aimed at, he hinted at the possibility of convincing the supposed “coddlers” to peacefully surrender dela Rosa even as he claimed that the government is determined to get the fugitive senator at all cost.
“We will use “all the levers of government” to force Dela Rosa out of hiding, including “economic and military” measures.