Philippines Vows Swift Arrest of ICC‑Wanted Senator Dela Rosa After Court Rejects His Appeal

The Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) says it will move “without delay” to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, one day after the Supreme Court rejected his petition to block enforcement of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida earlier authorized law enforcement agencies to proceed with the arrest of the former national police chief, who is accused of crimes against humanity for his role in ex‑President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly “war on drugs.” Duterte, now 81, is detained in The Hague and awaits trial, maintaining his innocence.

NBI chief Melvin Matibag issued a blunt warning: “Fugitive Senator Dela Rosa will be arrested whether he likes it or not because we have to implement the law without fear or favor.” Authorities say they have leads on his whereabouts, though details remain undisclosed.

Dela Rosa resurfaced dramatically last week after six months in hiding, briefly taking refuge inside the Senate before slipping away on May 14 just hours after gunfire and chaos erupted amid claims his arrest was imminent. His legal team argued the ICC warrant, issued in November and unsealed last week, had no legal basis in the Philippines. The Supreme Court disagreed.

Vida cautioned that anyone helping the senator evade arrest would “face consequences,” underscoring the government’s determination to enforce the warrant. “We are pursuing this so that the ends of justice may be achieved,” he said.

Dela Rosa has long denied involvement in illegal killings during Duterte’s anti‑drug campaign, during which thousands of suspects were killed in police operations or unexplained shootings. Human rights groups allege widespread abuses, cover‑ups and staged crime scenes claims police reject, insisting those killed were armed and resisted arrest.

Now a senator and a close ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, Dela Rosa retains influence within the police force he once led. Philippine National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez said the PNP would act “impartially and professionally” under the justice ministry’s directive, though he stopped short of explicitly committing to the arrest.

As the search intensifies, the case is shaping into one of the most consequential legal and political confrontations in the Philippines in years  with global attention fixed on how Manila handles an ICC warrant against one of its most prominent political figures.