Philippine authorities moved Thursday to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa after the Supreme Court refused to stop the enforcement of an International Criminal Court warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida confirmed that the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation had been directed to enforce the ICC arrest order against Dela Rosa, Duterte’s former police chief and chief implementer of the anti-drug campaign.
“I would like to confirm that the Philippine law enforcement agencies, which would include the PNP and the NBI, are now tasked to effect the arrest of Senator Ronald Bato dela Rosa,” Vida told reporters Thursday.
Vida said authorities were acting on a “valid arrest order” issued by the ICC. “He is charged as a co-perpetrator in the crime against humanity,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Dela Rosa’s petition for a temporary restraining order and status quo ante order that sought to stop Philippine authorities from arresting him based on an ICC warrant, an Interpol red notice, or any foreign judicial order without a Philippine court warrant.
“The Supreme Court, in a vote of 9-5-1, denied the prayer for a temporary restraining order and/or status quo ante order filed by Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ M. Dela Rosa,” the court said in a statement.
The high tribunal clarified that the ruling applied only to Dela Rosa’s request for interim relief and that the main petition remains pending.
“The Supreme Court only decided on the prayers for interim relief. The main issues raised by the parties in their pleadings and motions are yet to be resolved in the main case,” it said.
In his petition, Dela Rosa asked the court to prevent the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration, and other agencies from arresting him based on an ICC warrant or Interpol notice without a local judicial order.
DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez separately confirmed that the government was pursuing an Interpol red notice request against the senator.
“As far as I know, there is an application for the Interpol red notice… That is a remedy available to us,” Martinez said.
The ICC last week unsealed an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa, accusing him, Duterte, and other alleged “co-perpetrators” of the crime against humanity of murder in connection with the anti-drug crackdown carried out from 2016 to 2022.
Government agents earlier attempted to arrest Dela Rosa inside the Senate complex, but the effort was halted after Senate leaders allied with Duterte allowed him to remain inside the building. CCTV footage later showed the senator leaving the premises accompanied by Senator Robin Padilla.
Vida said the Supreme Court ruling removed any legal obstacle to enforcing the ICC warrant. “We’re pursuing this so that the ends of justice may be achieved,” he said, adding that “there are consequences” for anyone who would help Dela Rosa evade arrest.
Vida also described the senator as “a fugitive from justice.”
Presidential Communications Office spokesperson Claire Castro said the Marcos administration considers the warrant enforceable following the court ruling.
“For now, we can say that the warrant of arrest is valid against Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” Castro told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse.
Dela Rosa’s lawyer Israelito Torreon said the defense would seek reconsideration of the ruling. “We will exhaust every remedy available under law,” he said.
Duterte was arrested last year and is awaiting trial before the ICC in The Hague over allegations tied to the anti-drug campaign.
Human rights groups estimate that tens of thousands of mostly urban poor drug suspects and low-level traffickers were killed during the crackdown. Philippine police have maintained that more than 6,000 suspects died in legitimate anti-drug operations.
