MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday confirmed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have been ordered to arrest Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, citing the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in relation to the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said authorities are duty-bound to enforce the ICC warrant, stressing that Dela Rosa must answer charges of crimes against humanity before the international tribunal.
“Senator Bato is a fugitive from justice and he should be brought to the ICC to face the charges,” Vida said during a press briefing on Thursday noon.
Vida said the directive to law enforcement agencies was anchored on what he described as a “validly issued” arrest warrant from the ICC.
Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief and one of the key architects of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, is facing crimes against humanity charges tied to killings allegedly committed during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure as Davao City mayor and later as president.
Despite the DOJ’s position, the senator’s legal team maintained that while they acknowledge the existence of the ICC warrant, they do not recognize its enforceability in the Philippines.
The Supreme Court denied Dela Rosa’s petition seeking a temporary restraining order and status quo ante order that would have blocked any attempt to arrest him based on the ICC warrant.
Malacañang also backed the validity of the ICC order.
“Sa ngayon, masasabi po natin na ang warrant of arrest ay valid laban dito kay Sen. Bato Dela Rosa,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, NBI director Melvin Matibag disclosed that authorities already have information regarding Dela Rosa’s possible whereabouts, although he refused to provide specifics.
“Andami-dami pong lead na binigay. We have a lead kung nasaan talaga pero, in the meantime, we will suspend ‘yung announcement kung saan talaga siya,” Matibag said.
Dela Rosa disappeared before dawn on May 14 after a brief appearance in Senate on May 13 to support a Senate leadership coup that installed fellow pro-Duterte Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Dela Rosa had not bee attending Senate sessions since November 2025 after learning of the ICC arrest warrant against him./PN
