DILG Denies Receipt of ICC Arrest Warrant for Senator
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has officially stated that no red notice has been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa. This clarification came in a statement released on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
The DILG confirmed that its Center for Transnational Crimes has not received any such alert concerning the senator. "At present, there is no actionable document for the Department to respond to," the agency emphasized, redirecting public focus towards the government's ongoing typhoon response efforts.
Conflicting Claims and Official Verifications
The DILG's announcement directly contrasts with earlier claims made by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla. In a recent radio interview, Remulla asserted that the ICC had already issued an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa. This warrant is reportedly connected to the ICC's investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during the implementation of former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war.
In response to these conflicting reports, the Department of Justice has stepped in, announcing that it is currently verifying the information provided by Remulla. Adding to the uncertainty, both the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in The Hague have stated they have not received any warrant of arrest or related documents from the ICC. Officials also confirmed that no such document has been uploaded to the ICC's official online portal.
Background and Legal Precedents
Senator Dela Rosa, who served as the former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), was the chief implementer of Duterte's controversial anti-drug campaign. The ICC's ongoing investigation identifies him as the primary respondent in its probe concerning alleged crimes against humanity linked to the deaths of over 6,000 suspected drug personalities during that period.
This situation evokes memories of the March 2025 arrest of former President Duterte based on an ICC warrant. Duterte was subsequently transported to The Hague in the Netherlands and detained at the Hague Penitentiary Institution, also known as Scheveningen Prison.
However, the legal landscape has since shifted. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin provided a crucial clarification, stating that Dela Rosa would not necessarily undergo the same process as Duterte. "Not anymore," Bersamin explained. "The Supreme Court has come out with a new rule on extradition requiring prior resort to a court before the person subject of extradition may be brought out of the country." This new ruling establishes a significant legal safeguard for Philippine citizens facing international legal actions.
