Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa denounced what he described as an attempted warrantless arrest inside the Senate following a tense confrontation involving National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents amid reports of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, May 11, 2026.
Dela Rosa's Statement
In a statement released Monday, May 11, 2026, dela Rosa accused NBI agents of interfering with Senate operations while he was reporting for legislative duties. 'The danger we have repeatedly brought before the Supreme Court is no longer speculative. It has become real, actual, and immediate,' dela Rosa said.
Confrontation Details
The confrontation erupted after dela Rosa returned to the Senate for the first time in several months to attend a session that later resulted in major leadership changes in the chamber. Reports said tensions escalated when NBI operatives allegedly attempted to intercept the senator as he entered Senate premises. According to dela Rosa, no valid warrant issued by a Philippine court existed at the time of the incident. He described the move as an intrusion by the Executive Branch into a coequal institution of government.
'What occurred was not ordinary law enforcement. It was an alarming intrusion by agents of the Executive Branch into the halls of a coequal constitutional body,' he said. Dela Rosa also claimed that agents physically tried to stop him from entering the Senate session hall while the chamber was in session, resulting in injuries during the altercation. 'The NBI agents did not merely wait outside the Senate. They physically attempted to prevent Senator Dela Rosa from entering the Senate Session Hall while the Senate was in session and, in the course of doing so, caused him injury,' the statement read.
CCTV Footage and Senate Response
CCTV footage later shown during Senate proceedings reportedly captured dela Rosa running through Senate corridors while being pursued by NBI personnel. The Senate later placed the building under lockdown as the confrontation unfolded. Reports said senators allied with dela Rosa ordered heightened security measures while deliberations continued inside the chamber.
Constitutional Concerns
Dela Rosa's camp argued that the actions of the NBI raised constitutional concerns regarding the independence of Congress and the ability of elected lawmakers to perform their duties without interference. The senator cited Article 145 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes the use of force, intimidation, or threats to prevent members of Congress from attending sessions or casting votes. 'No law-enforcement agency may arrogate unto itself the power to obstruct a sitting Senator from attending a session, casting his vote, and representing the people who elected him,' he said.
The Senate later cited several NBI agents in contempt after reviewing surveillance footage and testimonies related to the confrontation.
Trillanes' Involvement
The issue intensified after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV appeared at the Senate carrying what he claimed was a copy of an ICC arrest warrant against dela Rosa. Trillanes later showed the document to reporters and urged authorities to implement the warrant. In his statement, dela Rosa criticized Trillanes' actions and said the former senator had no authority to enforce or carry out an arrest. 'We likewise condemn the subsequent appearance of former Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV at the Senate premises carrying and publicly invoking what he represented to be a copy of an ICC warrant of arrest against Senator Dela Rosa,' the statement said. 'He is not a law-enforcement officer, not a judicial officer, not a court process server, and not an authorized agent of any foreign tribunal under Philippine law,' it added.
ICC Confirmation
Later in the day, the ICC confirmed that it had confidentially issued an arrest warrant against dela Rosa in November 2025 in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration's anti-drug campaign. The ICC said the warrant stemmed from allegations involving killings committed during anti-illegal drug operations between 2016 and 2018, when dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police under former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Dela Rosa has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and maintained that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the Philippines following the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019. His legal team has also sought relief from the Supreme Court to block any possible arrest or surrender to international authorities.
