Senator Ronald dela Rosa, known by the nickname Bato, was placed under the protective custody of the Philippine Senate on May 11 after a brief confrontation with law enforcement agents inside the legislature. The Senate move followed reports that an arrest warrant might be issued for the former national police chief over alleged involvement in killings during the anti-narcotics campaign led by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The specific reason for the National Bureau of Investigation's presence at the Senate was not immediately clear. Media accounts that preceded the episode reported that an arrest warrant was expected to be issued for dela Rosa in connection with proceedings at the International Criminal Court where he has been mentioned by prosecutors as a co-conspirator.
Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, was detained by Philippine police in March 2025 and taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. ICC judges last month ruled that Duterte must face trial and confirmed that murder charges against him qualify as crimes against humanity, opening the path for formal judicial proceedings. Dela Rosa has previously denied involvement in illegal killings.
Monday marked the first time dela Rosa attended a Senate session since he stopped appearing in public in November. Video played during the session showed him moving quickly away from Philippine agents, stumbling on a flight of stairs before reaching his office within the Senate building where he was secured under legislative protection.
Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of dela Rosa who was installed as Senate president on the same day, announced the Senate would extend legal and institutional protection to the senator. "Senator Bato will enjoy the protection of the law and the protection of the Senate in accordance with our rules and Philippine laws," Cayetano said during the session.
There was no immediate comment from dela Rosa, the police, or the NBI in response to separate requests for information about the confrontation or the reported arrest warrant.
Speculation has been mounting that dela Rosa could face accusations alongside Duterte before the ICC related to the anti-narcotics drive, in which thousands of suspected dealers and drug users were killed, many in circumstances described as mysterious. Public video of Monday's incident captured a tense moment inside the Senate as agents and the senator moved through the corridors of the legislative building.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes, who led previous investigations into the anti-narcotics campaign and advocated for Duterte's referral to the ICC, told reporters that dela Rosa was the subject of an ICC arrest warrant. The ICC had not provided a response to requests for comment about the matter.
Trillanes said he was present in the Senate on Monday because dela Rosa had previously challenged him to attend if an ICC arrest warrant was to be served. A source described in prior accounts as having direct knowledge indicated earlier that an ICC warrant had been issued for dela Rosa.
Last year, the Philippine ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla, said a warrant had been issued for dela Rosa. However, according to the accounts in circulation, there has been no public announcement since that statement.
Trillanes said he had obtained a copy of an ICC warrant for dela Rosa, while interior secretary Jonvic Remulla told reporters he did not know whether any formal documentation from the court had been transmitted to the Philippines through official channels.
In remarks aired last year on DZRH radio, dela Rosa said he was prepared to face the ICC, stating, "we are ready all the time. Whatever happens, I am ready." His defense has said he maintains his innocence and that his past rhetoric was intended to instill fear and respect for the law.
The episode adds to an already tense legal and political environment surrounding figures tied to the Duterte administration's anti-narcotics policy. Questions remain about the existence and transmission of formal charges related to the ICC process and about the motives for law enforcement's actions inside the legislature on May 11.