The Philippine National Police (PNP) has taken custody of six additional firearms registered under Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, bringing to 26 the total number of firearms surrendered following the revocation of his License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) and firearm registrations.
Surrender of Firearms in Cavite
In a statement, the PNP said the six firearms were voluntarily turned over on June 22, 2026, by the senator’s legal representative at his residence in Silang, Cavite. The turnover was facilitated by personnel from the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO), the Regional Civil Security Unit 4A, and local police authorities. The firearms were received for temporary safekeeping in accordance with established procedures.
Previous Surrender and Outstanding Firearms
The latest surrender follows the turnover of 20 firearms on June 11 in Davao City. With 26 firearms now under police custody, authorities have yet to account for the remaining firearms covered by the revocation order, which involves a total of 117 firearms registered under Dela Rosa’s name.
PNP Commitment to Law Enforcement
The PNP said the implementation of the revocation order forms part of its commitment to the “consistent and impartial enforcement of firearms laws and regulations.” PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stressed that the police organization would continue to enforce the law while respecting the rights of all parties involved.
“The Philippine National Police remains committed to carrying out its mandate in accordance with the law and established procedures. We will continue to perform our duties professionally, fairly, and with respect for the legal rights of everyone involved,” Nartatez said.
Context: ICC Arrest Warrant
The revocation of Dela Rosa’s firearms license and registrations came weeks after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed that it had issued an arrest warrant against the senator in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. The warrant, initially issued under seal in November 2025, was made public in May 2026. According to the ICC, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief and one of the principal architects of the government’s war on drugs, participated in a common plan that allegedly resulted in unlawful killings between 2016 and 2018.
Following the issuance of the ICC warrant, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) formally requested the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s firearm licenses and registrations, citing protocols that consider subjects of arrest warrants as potentially armed and dangerous.
