A prominent Filipino senator and architect of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs” has sought refuge within the Philippine Senate, taking shelter just hours before the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest.
Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was captured in dramatic security footage on Monday, May 11, sprinting into the Senate building as agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) pursued him. The former police chief, who notably received a prestigious honor from the Indonesian National Police in 2018, successfully reached the chamber, where he remains under the legislative body’s protection. The Philippine National Police have confirmed they will not execute any arrest while he remains on Senate grounds.
Dela Rosa served as the head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the Duterte administration. He now faces accusations as an “indirect perpetrator” in the deaths of at least 32 individuals between 2016 and 2018—a period during which thousands of suspected drug dealers were killed in police operations. These events have significantly intensified pressure on former President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been held in ICC custody in The Hague since March 2025.
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Security footage aired before Philippine lawmakers shows NBI agents trailing Dela Rosa through the corridors and up the stairwells of the Senate. Following the confrontation, the head of the NBI signaled a standoff, telling reporters that they would respect the sanctuary of the Senate. For his part, Dela Rosa has vowed to remain within the complex, stating he would do “everything” to avoid being extradited to The Hague. His legal team has formally petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the arrest, arguing that no valid warrant has been issued by a local Philippine judicial authority.
By Tuesday morning, May 12, Dela Rosa was rallying supporters gathered outside the Senate, urging them to maintain their vigil until the Supreme Court reaches a decision. He also issued a challenge to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose administration is currently embroiled in a power struggle with the Duterte political dynasty, calling on the president to file local charges if he believes a crime has been committed.
“If I have any liability, I will answer it in a local court, not a foreign one,” Dela Rosa stated.
The Legacy of Bato dela Rosa
During his tenure as police chief, Dela Rosa became a polarizing figure for his aggressive enforcement of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. Under the “war on drugs” mandate, police were famously authorized to shoot suspected offenders on sight. According to Philippine human rights advocates, the campaign claimed at least 12,000 lives. A 2018 Human Rights Watch report alleged that approximately 4,000 of these deaths were directly attributable to police, while others were carried out by unidentified gunmen.
Beyond extrajudicial killings, law enforcement faced widespread allegations of enforced disappearances and torture. While Dela Rosa occasionally offered apologies for specific procedural failures—such as the 2016 death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside his prison cell—he remained a staunch defender of the campaign. His role in these operations ultimately led human rights lawyers to file charges against both him and Rodrigo Duterte with the ICC.
Interestingly, despite the international outcry, Dela Rosa received the Bintang Bhayangkara Utama—the Indonesian National Police’s highest honor—in February 2018. Then-National Police Chief Tito Karnavian stated at the time that the award was intended to foster stronger border security cooperation. At the time, Dela Rosa expressed that the honor would “inspire more effort” in his war on drugs.
The Duterte-Marcos Political Rivalry
The unfolding drama coincides with a period of severe political instability. On Monday, May 11, the Senate, still largely dominated by Duterte allies, elected Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate President. Cayetano emphasized that the institution would only recognize arrests backed by local court orders.
Simultaneously, the House of Representatives, controlled by allies of President Marcos, voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte—the former president’s daughter—for a second time. The once-formidable alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families has completely collapsed since the 2022 elections.
With Sara Duterte viewed as a frontrunner for the next presidential election, her camp alleges that the ICC warrant and the impeachment attempts are political tools designed to sabotage her candidacy. Meanwhile, former President Rodrigo Duterte has challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction, citing the country’s 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute. However, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber judges ruled last month that because the alleged crimes occurred between 2011 and 2019—when the Philippines was a member—the court retains the authority to prosecute.
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Summary
Former Philippine police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has sought refuge in the Senate to avoid an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is accused of being an “indirect perpetrator” in the deaths of at least 32 people during the violent “war on drugs” campaign conducted under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Currently, the Philippine National Police have honored the Senate’s status as a sanctuary, leading to an ongoing standoff while Dela Rosa’s legal team petitions the Supreme Court to challenge the warrant.
This incident reflects the deepening political divide between the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Duterte family. While Dela Rosa insists on facing any potential charges in local courts rather than through international jurisdiction, the ICC maintains its authority to prosecute crimes committed while the Philippines was a member of the Rome Statute. The situation remains volatile as the country faces broader political instability and the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.