Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced the reward during a press conference on Friday, October 23, saying ₱50 million would be offered to anyone who could provide information on Dela Rosa’s whereabouts.
In a statement, Torreon and Partners said the government should explain the legal grounds for offering the bounty, which the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reportedly plans to source from the intelligence funds of the department and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
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The law firm cited existing DILG and PNP rules on rewards for wanted persons, which it said require an arrest warrant issued by a Philippine court, along with details of the offense, criminal case number and applicable memorandum circular.
It argued that the government’s reliance on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant does not satisfy these requirements, noting that no Philippine court has issued a corresponding warrant against Dela Rosa.
Torreon and Partners also raised concerns over the proposed use of public funds, citing constitutional provisions and government auditing rules requiring expenditures to have a lawful basis and serve a public purpose.
The firm further warned that describing Dela Rosa as “armed and dangerous” and offering a reward for his capture could encourage individuals to take the law into their own hands if the legal requirements for an arrest are not met.
It also pointed to the pending Supreme Court proceedings concerning the ICC warrant, saying the government should allow the legal questions to be resolved through the judicial process.
The law firm challenged authorities to publicly identify the Philippine court that issued the arrest warrant, the criminal case number, the DILG circular authorizing the reward, and the legal basis for using intelligence funds.
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“If the government insists this bounty is lawful, it should publicly identify” these legal grounds, the firm said in its statement.
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