Lead
On November 8, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla told Rappler he had been informed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa over alleged crimes tied to the Duterte-era drug war. The Department of Justice said it was still verifying the claim and had not received a copy of any warrant. The Department of the Interior and Local Government reported no Interpol red notice at the time of inquiry. Dela Rosa’s legal team likewise urged caution until competent authorities make an official release.
Key Takeaways
- Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla reported on November 8 that he received information the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa; the claim is being verified.
- The DOJ spokesperson said on record that the agency had not seen or received the alleged warrant and was working to confirm details.
- The DILG indicated no Interpol red notice had been issued as of the time officials checked.
- Former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested under an ICC warrant in March 2025 and remains at the Court’s detention facility in The Hague.
- Human rights groups estimate nearly 30,000 deaths linked to the drug war; PDEA records show at least 4,999 fatalities between July 2016 and October 2018, encompassing much of Dela Rosa’s time as PNP chief.
- ICC victims’ counsel said a warrant against Dela Rosa as a co‑perpetrator is consistent with evidence presented to the Court, while Dela Rosa’s counsel urged verification before reporting.
- Senate President Tito Sotto said senators are generally protected from arrest inside the Senate chamber, but that immunity does not extend to locations outside the Senate premises.
Background
The ICC inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity arising from the Philippine “war on drugs” has focused on policies and operations during the Duterte presidency, when Rodrigo Duterte launched an aggressive anti‑drug campaign in 2016. International and local human rights organizations have tracked a large body of killings and alleged extrajudicial actions tied to that campaign; the dispute over accountability has driven persistent legal and diplomatic conflict between Philippine institutions and international bodies.
Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa served as Duterte’s first Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and later became a senator; he is widely described by critics and some witnesses as a central figure in implementing the campaign. The ICC prosecutor previously sought interviews with a number of Philippine officials, and whistleblower affidavits submitted to the Court have named former police and local actors alleged to have been involved in killings attributed to the Davao Death Squad and other groups.
Main Event
On November 8, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told Rappler that another official had relayed information indicating the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Senator Dela Rosa. Remulla, who formerly served as DOJ chief, framed the tip as coming through an intermediary rather than from a direct ICC communication. The DOJ, now led in an acting capacity by Fredderick Vida, said it had not yet received a physical copy of any warrant and was actively verifying the report.
The DILG, overseeing the Center for Transnational Crime, told reporters it had seen no Interpol red notice as of its most recent check. Interpol notices are typically the channel through which an ICC warrant is transmitted for international law‑enforcement coordination; by contrast, the ICC’s public disclosures often follow implementation actions by national authorities.
Kristina Conti, an ICC assistant counsel for victims, told Rappler that the Court had not publicly posted any warrant and that the existence of a warrant could not be independently confirmed from the Court’s public records at that moment. At the same time, Conti said victims and the prosecution’s submissions make plausible the Court would target officials alleged to have co‑perpetrated crimes during the drug war.
Dela Rosa’s counsel, Israelito Torreon, said the senator’s legal team had no independent confirmation of the alleged warrant and called on media and the public to await verification from competent authorities or the ICC itself. Senate President Tito Sotto said an arrest inside Senate premises would be resisted as a matter of institutional dignity, though he acknowledged arrests outside the Senate would be a separate matter.
Analysis & Implications
If the ICC has indeed issued an arrest warrant for Senator Dela Rosa, this would mark an escalation of the Court’s engagement with senior Philippine officials linked to the 2016–2018 drug crackdown and expand the roster of persons the Court is targeting beyond a former head of state. Legally, an ICC arrest warrant does not itself effect an arrest; it triggers requests for cooperation through Interpol and national authorities and can lead to detention only if a state or cooperating jurisdiction acts on the notice.
Domestically, the development places the Marcos administration in a delicate position: Philippine authorities must reconcile treaty obligations and international cooperation norms with strong domestic political sensitivities surrounding the drug war and figures tied to it. Previous cooperation on Duterte’s March arrest shows that Philippine agencies have in practice implemented ICC requests when they are routed through Interpol and accompanied by domestic decisions to cooperate.
The timing of any enforcement action would hinge on a number of variables: whether the Court posts the warrant publicly, whether Interpol issues a red notice, whether Philippine police or foreign jurisdictions seek to execute the warrant, and whether legal challenges or diplomatic negotiations delay action. Politically, an arrest effort—especially if it involves a sitting senator—could provoke institutional pushback, questions about parliamentary immunity in practice, and political mobilization from allies.
Comparison & Data
| Source | Figure | Period / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Human rights groups (aggregated) | Nearly 30,000 | Estimated deaths linked to the drug war (overall) |
| PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) | 4,999 | Deaths recorded July 2016–October 2018 |
| ICC (Court action) | March 2025 | Duterte arrest executed under ICC warrant in Manila/The Hague |
The two data points cited most often in public debate—human rights group aggregates and official PDEA counts—use different methodologies and cover differing time spans; PDEA’s 4,999 deaths apply to a defined 2016–2018 window that overlaps much of Dela Rosa’s leadership of the PNP. Human rights group totals are broader, compiled from multiple local and international monitors over a longer period. Readers should note that numerical tallies reflect differing inclusion criteria (police operations, vigilante‑style killings, and third‑party incidents) and are often contested in public discourse.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials and stakeholders gave measured responses while verification continued.
“As of this hour, we are currently working to verify this information. We have also not yet seen or received a copy of said arrest warrant.”
Rafael Martinez, DOJ spokesperson
DOJ officials emphasized procedural verification, noting that an arrest warrant arriving from the ICC is usually accompanied by Interpol coordination; they said no physical warrant had been received by the agency at that time.
“We cannot confirm something that the Court has not publicly shared…a warrant, in case it has been issued, has not yet been publicly shared and posted.”
Kristina Conti, ICC assistant counsel for victims
Conti underlined the distinction between internal prosecutorial expectations and the Court’s public record, saying victims’ submissions and the prosecution’s evidence had supported naming alleged co‑perpetrators, but that the Court itself had not published a warrant for public inspection.
“At this point, we do not have independent confirmation…we therefore urge the public and the media to exercise caution and restraint.”
Israelito Torreon, counsel for Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
Dela Rosa’s lawyer urged restraint and noted the defense had not yet seen official documentation; the statement framed the reports as unverified until competent authorities or the ICC release confirmation.
Unconfirmed
- The ICC has not publicly posted or released a warrant for Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa as of the last verified check; the existence of a warrant is reported but unconfirmed from Court records.
- No Interpol red notice had been observed by Philippine authorities at the time of the DILG/center for transnational crimes check; Interpol transmission remains unverified.
- The precise charges, scope, and language of any alleged Dela Rosa warrant—including dates and counts—are not publicly available pending official ICC disclosure.
Bottom Line
The report that the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa represents a potentially significant development in international accountability efforts tied to the Philippines’ 2016–2025 drug war. As of the latest statements, Philippine authorities and the ICC had not publicly produced a warrant document, and agencies were still verifying whether formal procedures—such as an Interpol red notice—had been initiated.
For observers and stakeholders, the key watch points are whether the ICC posts a public warrant, whether Interpol issues a red notice, and whether Philippine or foreign law‑enforcement bodies move to execute any notice. Each of those steps would materially change the legal and political landscape; until verification occurs, the report should be treated as an unconfirmed but consequential development.
Sources
- Rappler — Philippine news outlet reporting on the November 8 statements and follow‑ups
- International Criminal Court (ICC) — Official institution for public records and statements (international court, official)
- Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) — National agency cited for casualty figures and operational data (Philippine government agency)