THE Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO–Davao) said the Philippine National Police has not issued any order to monitor Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, despite circulating rumors that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant of arrest against him.
“As to his whereabouts, wala man pud gyud mi nag -investigate sa iyahang gipang-adtuan, ang nahibaw-an lang namo is naa siya’y balay here sa Davao (We have not conducted any investigation into his whereabouts. What we know is that he has a residence here in Davao),” PRO-Davao spokesperson PMaj. Catherine Dela Rey said in a media interview on January 5, 2025, at SM City Davao.
Dela Rey said PRO-Davao remains ready to provide security assistance if the senator requests protection for his activities. She added that while reports about an alleged ICC warrant continue to spread, the regional office has received no official order related to the matter.
Dela Rosa previously served as Davao City Police Office chief from 2012 to 2013 and later led the Philippine National Police from 2016 to 2018.
Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a December 11, 2025, national media interview that authorities had tracked Dela Rosa in six locations over three weeks. Remulla clarified that Dela Rosa is not considered a fugitive or a wanted person, saying authorities must “play it fair and play it cool.” He added that law enforcement agencies are monitoring developments while awaiting a court ruling on whether a warrant exists.
While lawyer Israelito Torreon argued that the ICC cannot enforce an arrest against Dela Rosa because the Philippines has no domestic legal procedure for carrying out ICC surrender requests. He said only the Supreme Court can resolve the constitutional questions surrounding the alleged warrant.
Dela Rosa has been absent from Senate plenary sessions since November 2025. He reportedly faces accusations of crimes against humanity tied to his role as PNP chief and chief implementer of the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign from 2016 to 2018. RGP WITH REPORTS FROM SNS