On a weekend marked by swirling speculation and political tension, the Philippines found itself thrust into the international spotlight as claims emerged regarding an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa. The controversy, which has sent shockwaves through Manila’s political corridors, centers on the senator’s alleged role in the deadly anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
It all began on December 7, 2025, when former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque took to social media with a bombshell announcement. According to INQUIRER, Roque declared, “Sen. Bato, your warrant of arrest is out! Don’t let yourself be kidnapped! Insist that you have the right to be brought before a Philippine court first.” The post, which quickly gained traction, was accompanied by Roque’s disclosure that he had submitted a letter to Interpol, urging the agency to reject a Philippine government request for a so-called "red notice" against him.
Red notices, for the uninitiated, are international requests that law enforcement agencies across the globe locate and arrest individuals facing criminal charges. But, as of early December, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) confirmed that no such notice had been issued against Dela Rosa. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also stated they had yet to receive any official copy of the supposed ICC warrant.
Despite the lack of official paperwork, the story gained further momentum when Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla stood by his earlier assertion that the ICC had indeed issued an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa. In an interview with dzMM Teleradyo on December 6, Remulla recounted, “It was Saturday morning, one month ago. My former colleagues in the DOJ arrived at my house and we talked about it. Then I asked them, ‘where is the arrest warrant?’ Then they showed me the first page of it.” He went on, “The next day, I was talking with someone liaisoning for ICC, who showed me the entire document.” Remulla said he had an unofficial copy of the warrant on his cellphone, though he did not present it publicly.
Remulla’s revelation was not entirely new. Back on November 8, during his co-hosted radio program "Executive Session" on dzRH, Remulla first stated that an ICC arrest warrant had been issued for Dela Rosa, naming him as a co-accused alongside former President Duterte in crimes against humanity cases. The alleged crimes stem from the administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign, which Dela Rosa spearheaded as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Prior to his national role, Dela Rosa also served as chief of the Davao City Police during Duterte’s mayoralty—a period often cited by critics as the genesis of the hardline approach that would later define Duterte’s presidency.
Oplan Tokhang, the campaign at the heart of the allegations, was credited by government records with at least 6,000 deaths. However, human rights groups have long contended the real figure could be as high as 30,000, citing extrajudicial killings and a pattern of impunity. According to INQUIRER, Dela Rosa has been described as the “architect” of the campaign—an association that has haunted his political career and now, perhaps, his personal freedom.
The legal and political fallout was immediate. Since the news of the warrant broke in November, Dela Rosa has conspicuously avoided Senate sessions and public appearances. In a bid to force transparency, he filed a “very urgent motion” before the Supreme Court to compel the Ombudsman to produce the warrant. The High Court, however, rejected his plea, leaving the senator in a kind of legal limbo.
The Office of the Solicitor General weighed in, seeking to dampen the growing anxiety. The office stated that Dela Rosa’s fears of imminent arrest “are not commensurate with established facts” and emphasized that there has been no official government declaration confirming the existence of an ICC warrant. Yet, as the days pass and Dela Rosa remains out of sight, the sense of uncertainty only deepens.
For many observers, the controversy is emblematic of the broader struggle over accountability for the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. The ICC, which investigates and prosecutes individuals for crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, opened a probe into the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign after mounting international pressure and documentation of widespread human rights abuses. The Philippine government, for its part, has long insisted on its sovereignty, arguing that any legal proceedings should occur within its own courts.
Yet, the ICC’s involvement—and the specter of an international arrest warrant—underscores the gravity of the allegations. The campaign, launched in 2016, quickly drew condemnation from human rights organizations worldwide, who alleged systematic abuses and a lack of due process. The government’s response has often been to downplay these concerns, citing the need to combat a pervasive drug problem and asserting that security forces acted within the bounds of the law.
The political ramifications are complex. Supporters of Dela Rosa and Duterte argue that the ICC’s actions represent an infringement on Philippine sovereignty and an attempt to undermine the country’s justice system. Critics, however, see the developments as a long-overdue reckoning for officials who, in their view, presided over a campaign of state-sponsored violence.
Meanwhile, the man at the center of the storm remains elusive. Dela Rosa’s absence from the Senate and public life has fueled speculation about his next move. Allies insist he is simply exercising caution, while detractors claim he is evading accountability. The lack of official confirmation regarding the warrant only adds to the intrigue.
The coming weeks are likely to prove decisive. Will the ICC or Interpol move to enforce the alleged warrant? Will the Philippine government cooperate, or will it dig in its heels, citing jurisdictional disputes? And what of Dela Rosa himself—will he face justice abroad, or will the legal battle play out on home soil?
For now, the country waits, caught between competing narratives and the enduring question of justice. As the story unfolds, one thing is clear: the legacy of the drug war continues to cast a long and complicated shadow over Philippine politics, law, and society.