A major political and legal standoff has deepened in the Philippines this week, after the country’s top justice official formally ordered law enforcement agencies to act on an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a former police chief accused of crimes against humanity linked to Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly anti-illegal drug crackdown. In a public press briefing, Justice Secretary Frederick Vida made clear the government’s position: Dela Rosa is now classified as a fugitive from justice, and must be taken into custody to stand trial at the ICC’s headquarters in The Hague.
Dela Rosa’s ties to the controversial drug war date back to his tenure as chief of the Philippine National Police from 2016 to 2018, when he oversaw the implementation of then-President Duterte’s hardline campaign against narcotics. The crackdown ultimately claimed the lives of thousands of mostly low-level suspects, drawing widespread condemnation from Western governments and global human rights advocacy groups for allegations of extrajudicial killings. Duterte himself, who held the presidency from 2016 to 2022, was already taken into ICC custody last year and transferred to The Hague, where he is currently on trial facing identical charges of crimes against humanity.
The ICC unsealed the arrest warrant for Dela Rosa on May 11 this year, charging him with the crime against humanity of murder for the killings of no less than 32 people between July 2016 and April 2018, the period during which he led national police operations. Vida emphasized the weight of the accusations in his briefing, noting that thousands of victims – including children and even toddlers – were killed during the campaign. “It’s the government’s obligation to support and help them achieve justice,” Vida stated.
Dela Rosa had previously attempted to block the warrant through a petition to the Philippine Supreme Court, arguing that the country is no longer a member of the ICC and the court has no jurisdiction over Filipino citizens. The Supreme Court rejected his petition, clearing the way for arrest efforts.
The senator has been in hiding for months, skipping regular Senate sessions to avoid detainment. He made a surprise public reappearance on May 11, however, to back fellow Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s bid for Senate presidency in the 24-member chamber, helping Cayetano secure a narrow majority victory. Dela Rosa arrived at the Senate building inside Cayetano’s vehicle, but when agents from the National Bureau of Investigation moved to serve the warrant, he fled into the Senate plenary hall, where allied senators granted him temporary protective custody.
Chaos erupted just two days later on May 13, when security personnel assigned to the Senate building fired multiple volleys of warning shots after spotting armed government arrest teams positioned in a nearby adjacent building. The gunfire sent senators, staff, and journalists – including two reporters from The Associated Press – scrambling for safety. In the resulting confusion, Dela Rosa escaped the compound, driven away in an SUV by allied Senator Robinhood Padilla. Police have launched an investigation into whether the security team intentionally sparked the chaos to facilitate Dela Rosa’s getaway.
Vida confirmed Thursday that authorities already have credible leads on Dela Rosa’s current location, but declined to share further details to avoid tipping off the fugitive. He issued a clear warning to any person considering aiding Dela Rosa in evading the nationwide manhunt: anyone who assists him will face criminal charges themselves.
Dela Rosa’s legal crisis comes amid a rapidly escalating political power struggle between the Duterte political bloc and the administration of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president, has already publicly accused Marcos of orchestrating what she calls the “kidnapping” of her father and his transfer to the ICC. Last week, the Marcos-dominated House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Sara Duterte, who has announced her intention to run for the presidency in 2028. She faces multiple allegations including unexplained accumulated wealth, misuse of public government funds, and making a public threat to assassinate President Marcos. She has denied all charges but declined to answer them in detail. Her impeachment trial, which will be convened in the Senate, is scheduled to begin in July.