The Philippines Supreme Court on May 14 temporarily dismissed a petition filed by Senator Ronald dela Rosa seeking to prevent his arrest under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Dela Rosa, wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity in the 'war on drugs' campaign under former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been in hiding for several days.
Claire Castro, spokesperson for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., stated: 'At present, we can confirm that the arrest warrant for Senator Bato dela Rosa is valid.' The decision clears the way for the senator's arrest. Dela Rosa had argued that Philippine law enforcement lacks authority to enforce a warrant from a foreign court.
Dela Rosa, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police under President Duterte, denies any involvement in unlawful killings. He lived in seclusion for six months before appearing at the Senate last week, and then fled after a shooting broke out between government security personnel and Senate guards.
Dela Rosa's lawyers said they would continue to appeal, arguing that Wednesday's ruling 'is not a final decision on the legality of enforcing an ICC warrant on Philippine territory.' Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida affirmed that the government will 'definitely' execute the arrest warrant for dela Rosa.
The ICC estimates that between 12,000 and 30,000 people were killed in Duterte's anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2019. Former President Duterte, also indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, has been detained in The Hague since March 2025 and maintains his innocence.
