MANILA (UPDATE)— Senator Ronald Dela Rosa on Monday said he would not ask President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr to protect him from the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the drug war but urged him to protect the country's sovereignty.

In a chance interview, Dela Rosa said he has yet to talk to former President Rodrigo Duterte around a week after the permanent court announced junking the Philippine government’s appeal against the resumption of the investigation.

• After PH disengagement, families of drug war victims can still submit evidence to ICC: lawyer

"I am not calling them to protect me. I am calling them to protect the dignity of this country na dapat hindi tayo basta-basta lang babalasubasin ang bansa," Dela Rosa told reporters when asked if he would ask the Marcos Jr to protect him and Duterte from the investigation.

"This is purely domestic affairs... Our justice system is working, hindi natutulog. Ano pa, bakit pa sila (ICC) mangingialam dito?" he added.

"Huwag lang balasubasin ang ating sovereignty, dapat ito ay protektahan ng kung sino ang nakaupo sa Malacañang," the former police chief said.

Sought for a reaction on Marcos, Jr's decision to end all the country's engagement with the ICC, the senator said, "Hallelujah!"

"Salamat. Masyadong ginagawa nilang kawawa [ang Pilipinas]. Tapos na. End of story, wag na natin pansinin, hindi nila pinapansin pakiusap natin, huwag na rin natin sila pansinin," he added.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, said the Senate would try to protect Dela Rosa from any ICC action.

"Kung may warrant of arrest dito sa Pilipinas. Kung mag-iissue ng warrant of arrest ay Philippine courts," Estrada said.

"Depende. Ako ba pinrotektahan?" he added, laughing, when asked if the Senate would protect the senator.

Last week, Marcos Jr. said the government's appeal over the permanent court's jurisdiction over the Philippines was the country's last involvement with the ICC.

He said he made the decision to protect the country's sovereignty.

Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019, a year after the Hague-based tribunal began a preliminary probe into his illegal drug crackdown.

Over 6,200 people were killed in more than 200,000 anti-drug operations, according to data released by the Philippine government. ICC prosecutors estimate the death toll at between 12,000 and 30,000.

— with a report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

• War on drugs: Over 6,200 killed during operations, says PDEA

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