Dela Rosa again presses SC to reverse ruling on ICC arrest warrant

BATO. Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa during the Senate plenary session on May 13, 2026.

REUTERS

Dela Rosa’s camp says the 'armed and dangerous' tag and P50-million bounty for his arrest place his right to life in 'present and serious danger'

AT A GLANCE

• Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa is urging the Supreme Court to reverse its ruling and halt the enforcement of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him, citing escalating threats to his safety.
• His lawyer argues that recent government declarations labeling him as 'armed and dangerous' and the offer of a ₱50-million bounty for his arrest place his life in serious danger.
• The ICC issued a warrant against Dela Rosa due to his involvement in the controversial anti-drug campaign during former President Duterte's administration, which has been linked to thousands of deaths.

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MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has again pressed the Supreme Court to reverse its earlier ruling and stop the use of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.

In a manifestation on Tuesday, October 27, Israelito Torreon, dela Rosa’s lawyer, asked the SC to urgently rule on a pending motion for reconsideration they filed in June, seeking to reverse a May court decision that denied their plea for a temporary restraining order or a status quo ante order to stop the implementation of the ICC arrest warrant.

A status quo ante order simply means a rewind or the court wants things returned to how they were before a disputed action happened, while it decides the case.

Dela Rosa’s lawyer argued that the enforcement posture surrounding the senator had “escalated” while the motion remained unresolved. It cited supervening events, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) declaration of the senator as “armed and dangerous” and the P50-million bounty offered for his arrest.

“Taken together, these are not stray remarks of individual officials. They constitute an announced executive enforcement program: an official ‘armed and dangerous’ designation, a ₱50-million capture bounty from public funds, a dedicated task force, Special Action Force deployment, and express presidential support, all directed at the arrest of a sitting senator of the Republic for surrender to a foreign tribunal, while the legality of that very act is pending before this Honorable Court,” the manifestation reads. 

Voting 9-5-1, the SC previously denied Dela Rosa’s request for a TRO, saying he had “no clear and unmistakable right to be protected.”

The tribunal also noted that the Senate had provided the lawmaker with protective custody, preventing his arrest and the implementation of the ICC warrant.

“Hence, Senator Dela Rosa’s claimed invasion of his purported rights is more imagined than real,” the SC said.

Dela Rosa’s camp said the recent pronouncements from the executive branch placed the senator’s right to life in “present and serious danger.”

“No court has found Petitioner Dela Rosa to be armed and dangerous. In law enforcement practice, the designation signals to operating units that armed resistance should be anticipated, which is precisely the setting in which lethal force is most likely to be used,” it said. 

“Coupled with a bounty and a declaration abandoning restraint, the designation places Petitioner dela Rosa’s right to life under Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution in present and serious danger,” the lawyer added. 

ICC drug war case

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a warrant against Dela Rosa in November last year due to his role in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

He was Duterte’s first police chief who implemented the bloody anti-drug campaign which human rights organizations said took the lives of nearly 30,000 people.

The ICC named him a co-perpetrator in the case. It added that those involved “controlled a structure of power” which enabled them to “direct and control the actions” of those who carried out drug war killings.

In November, the ICC warrant was still sealed. It was only made public on May 11, after Dela Rosa, following months of absence in the Senate, showed up to back Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s election as Senate president. For three days, Dela Rosa sought refuge inside the Senate building until a shooting chaos, which was allegedly triggered by his mistah, Senate sergeant-at-arms Mao Aplasca, ensued on the night of May 13. Hours later, Dela Rosa escaped from the Senate at around 2:30 am. He was accompanied by his political ally, Senator Robin Padilla. 

Dela Rosa has since stayed out of public view.  – with reports from Jairo Bolledo/Rappler.com