Dela Rosa wants probe on Kabataan lawmaker as calls mount for cooperation with ICC

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 29) — Senator Ronald «Bato» dela Rosa on Wednesday said he will look into Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel after former communist rebels claimed that the lawmaker was responsible for insurgent groups' efforts to recruit young people.

This comes amid growing calls from congressmen, including Manuel, for the country to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, which was spearheaded by Dela Rosa who was Duterte's police chief.

«Talagang tuwang tuwa siya na imbestigahan ako ng ICC. Tingnan natin ngayon ikaw ang imbestigahan ko,» Dela Rosa said during a Senate hearing into Resolution No. 863, which tackles the «continuous radicalization and recruitment of students in educational institutions to the local communist terrorist groups» such as the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

[Translation: He was really happy that the ICC will investigate me. Let's see now when you are the one I will investigate.]

«I will do all my parliamentary powers to pin you down,» he added. «Tingnan natin ikaw pala talaga ay miyembro ng CPP [We'll see that you're actually a member of the CPP], which is the partido of the NPA who’s trying to destroy this government.»

According to Dela Rosa, ex-rebels claimed that Manuel was enlisting the youth to join the NPA, especially students, and even visited camps to prove his membership to his recruits.

«Former membership of CPP [is] not a crime. Pero yung pag-recruit ng mga bata na naging miyembro ng NPA [But recruitment of youth into the NPA], that is a crime. Dineclare ng former rebels na nagrerecruit siya for NPA,» the senator said.

If proven true, Dela Rosa said Manuel would be held liable for violating existing laws, particularly the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Meanwhile, Kabataan Partylist said this is not the first time Dela Rosa has thrown false accusations against youth lawmakers, citing a similar incident that happened against former Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago.

The group said Dela Rosa filed trumped-up charges against Elago which was later dismissed due to lack