Philippines will ‘definitely’ comply with ICC request to arrest senator, says minister

MANILA - Philippine Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on May 15 that the country will “definitely” submit to a request from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest a top senator wanted for alleged crimes against humanity during his role in a bloody “war on drugs”.

The warrant for the arrest of Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the former police chief who oversaw then President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown, is valid, and the Philippines has received a request to serve it, Mr Vida said.

The ICC unsealed a warrant on May 11 for dela Rosa’s arrest, dated November.

Dela Rosa had been taking refuge at the Senate but slipped out before dawn on May 14 in what his wife called an “escape”.

His current whereabouts are unknown.

“We will definitely submit to the request of the ICC,” Mr Vida told reporters on May 15.

Duterte is currently in ICC detention following his arrest in 2025, and is set to become the first former Asian head of state to go on trial in The Hague.

He is accused of crimes against humanity but has denied wrongdoing.

The Philippines’ anti-graft chief and ombudsman, Mr Jesus Crispin Remulla, said at a news conference on May 15 that dela Rosa needed to face the accusations against him.

“Flight is an indication of guilt, right? That’s a very basic tenet of criminal law. Flight is an indication of guilt,” he said.

“Is that how our senators should be, someone who runs from the law? He should be held accountable.”

The Justice Department has already issued an immigration lookout order, Mr Vida said.

“We will treat any attempt by Senator dela Rosa to leave the country as a mockery of justice,” he said, adding that he has already issued an order to arrest him if he tries to flee.

While Mr Vida said the authorities have information to determine the senator’s whereabouts, he clarified that a manhunt has not been launched, saying that “the arrest is conditional”.

Dela Rosa has filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that the ICC has no jurisdiction after the Philippines’ 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute.

He denies involvement in illegal killings.

Mr Vida said the Supreme Court would be “the final arbiter”.

“We will listen to what the Supreme Court has to say,” he added.

On May 15, Mr Remulla also ordered a six-month suspension of the head of Senate security following the chaotic shoot-out inside the Upper Chamber on May 13.

Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca was suspended with immediate effect after admitting he fired the first warning shot during a stand-off with National Bureau of Investigation agents inside the Senate building.

Troops were deployed to the building after dela Rosa urged his supporters to mobilise and thwart his imminent arrest.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr earlier called for calm and said no government personnel were involved in the incident.

The Senate and law enforcement agencies said an investigation into the shoot-out is under way.

Under the Philippine Constitution and the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman has the authority to discipline public officials and may impose preventive suspension to ensure impartiality during investigations.

Mr Aplasca did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Mr Remulla said: “It’s a preventive suspension meant to make things easier for us to get to the bottom of this.”

He added: “He was the first to fire. Do you fire at law enforcement? We do not tolerate that.

“What right does he have to do that? Not even the president will do that.” REUTERS