The Philippine National Police (PNP) has taken custody of six additional firearms registered under Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, bringing the total number of surrendered weapons to 26 following the cancellation of his License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) and firearm registrations.
In a statement, the PNP said the six firearms were voluntarily surrendered on Monday, 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. The weapons were received for temporary safekeeping in accordance with established procedures.
Background of Firearm Surrenders
This latest compliance follows the turnover of 20 firearms on June 11, 2026, in Davao City. Of the 26 weapons now in police custody, authorities have yet to recover the remaining firearms covered by the revocation order, which involves a total of 117 firearms registered under Dela Rosa’s name.
According to the PNP, the enforcement of the revocation order is part of its commitment to the “consistent and fair implementation of firearms laws and regulations.”
PNP Chief’s Statement
PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. emphasized that the police organization will 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.
Connection to ICC Warrant
The revocation of Dela Rosa’s gun license and registrations occurred several weeks after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed it had issued an arrest warrant against the senator in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs. The warrant was made public in May 2026.
According to the ICC, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa—as former chief of the Philippine National Police and one of the principal architects of the government’s drug war—participated in a common plan that allegedly resulted in extrajudicial killings between 2016 and 2018.
Following the ICC warrant, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) requested the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s gun licenses and registrations, citing protocols that consider individuals with arrest warrants as potentially “armed and dangerous.”
