ICC confirms arrest warrant for Bato Dela Rosa over drug war killings

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that the tribunal has issued a warrant of arrest for Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, former President Rodrigo Duterte's first chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), in connection with the killings under his war on drugs.

According to the 16-page document released by the ICC, the warrant of arrest was “classified as secret”, but it “may be communicated to, or its existence be revealed to States, international organizations or competent persons, and that the existence of the Prosecution’s application for the present warrant, currently classified as under seal, may similarly be mentioned to States, international organisations or competent persons.”

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said a copy has been transmitted to the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC).

"The International Criminal Court confirms that the document published by the national authorities of the Republic of the Philippines and circulated in the media is indeed a formal ICC document," ICC spokesperson Orianne Maillet said.

"This arrest warrant against Mr Ronald Marapon Dela Rosa was issued confidentially, under seal, by Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC on 6 November 2025. The ICC is currently in the process of unsealing the warrant of arrest. We will circulate to this group as soon as available," she added.

Unsealed warrant of arrest for Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa by bordadora92

The warrant mentioned Dela Rosa’s “alleged criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity of murder from July 3, 2016, until the end of April 2018, wherein at least 32 persons died.

Dela Rosa was the PNP chief at the height of the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war campaign.

The Chamber found reasonable grounds that Dela Rosa had committed the crimes against humanity of murder.

“Based on the material submitted by the Prosecution in support of the Incidents, the Chamber finds reasonable grounds to believe that, at least between 3 July 2016 and the end of April 2018, members of the Philippines’ law enforcement, sometimes with the assistance of persons who were not part of the police such as non-police assets and paid hitmen, killed no less than 32 persons – alleged criminals, such as alleged thieves, or people allegedly involved in drug-related activities – at various locations in the Philippines,” the warrant read.

The Prosecution submitted that Dela Rosa’s arrest was necessary “to ensure his appearance before the Court.”

“After evaluating the information submitted by the Prosecution, the Chamber accepts that ‘there is no reasonable expectation that he would cooperate with a summons to appear issued by the Court’,” the chamber said.

“In this regard, the Chamber observes that Mr Dela Rosa reportedly publicly threatened an investigator of the Prosecution and referred to those cooperating with the ICC investigation as ‘traitors’,” it added.

“Given the risk of interference with the investigations and the security of witnesses and victims, the Chamber is satisfied that the arrest of Mr Dela Rosa is necessary… to ensure his appearance before the Court and that he does not obstruct or endanger the investigation and/or the court proceedings,” it added.

In a press release, the ICC said the Pre-Trial Chamber I has unsealed an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa, which was originally “issued as secret” on November 6, 2025.

The ICC said the senator is “alleged to have committed the crime against humanity of murder (article 7(1)(a) of the Rome Statute), at least between 3 July 2016 and the end of April 2018, during which no less than 32 persons were killed, in the Republic of the Philippines.”

The chamber – composed of Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc and Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera – assessed the material submitted by the prosecution.

It found “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Dela Rosa is allegedly criminally responsible as an indirect co-perpetrator (pursuant to article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute) for the crime against humanity of murder.”

“Mr. Dela Rosa is alleged to have been involved in a common plan that lasted from approximately 1 November 2011 until 16 March 2019 to kill alleged criminals in the Philippines (including those perceived or alleged to be associated with drug use, sale or production),” the ICC said.

It cited his record as a police official for more than 30 years and his various positions in the PNP such as Davao City police chief from February 1, 2012 to October 17, 2013 and as PNP chief from July 1, 2016 to April 19, 2018. The ICC also noted Dela Rosa’s stint as Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief from April 30 to October 12, 2018.

Dela Rosa has been absent in the Senate since November 11, 2025, after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that the ICC issued a warrant of arrest against him over the previous administration’s drug war.

He showed up on Monday to attend the Senate session, in which he was among the 13 who voted to unseat Sen. Vicente Sotto III as Senate President.

Members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were reported to have tried to serve the warrant of arrest against the Senator.

Following Dela Rosa’s return to the Senate on Monday, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV showed the media copy of the ICC’s arrest warrant against the senator. –Mariz Umali/NB, GMA News