Read the full article here: Read the full article here: File photos show fugitive Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa (top) with (bottom from left) Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, and human rights lawyer Kristina Conti sharing their thoughts about recent developments on his yet-to-be-enforced arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. (Courtesy: Offices of Sen. Bato dela Rosa / Win Gatchalian / Ping Lacson / RTVM / House of Representatives)
Malacañang on Sunday pressed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to swiftly and lawfully arrest Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, warning that officers who defy the order or break the law face sanctions.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered police to step up efforts as public impatience grew over Dela Rosa’s continued evasion of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
“This is now a challenge for Gen. Nartatez Jr.—after all, these are your men. To the police force: if you observe anyone failing to comply with the government’s directive to arrest Sen. Bato, this matter is now in the hands of Gen. Nartatez; he is the one who must take action if such instances are observed or sensed,” she said.
“The government will not stop pursuing the arrest of those who should be apprehended,” Castro told Bilyonaryo News Channel, saying swift action was needed.
On Saturday, the spokesperson said Mr. Marcos wanted no time wasted in enforcing the law, rejecting calls for any negotiation with Dela Rosa’s camp.
A day later, Castro said the administration had not rejected the Senate minority bloc’s offer to facilitate talks with Dela Rosa’s lawyers, but questioned whether the lawmakers had contacted him or knew his whereabouts.
“There is nothing wrong with talking. In fact, it is better for the discussion to be calm—should they decide to arrest Sen. Bato—provided there is no obstinacy. It should not involve the kind of approach currently being employed by the SILG (Secretary of the Interior and Local Government) and the PNP (Philippine National Police); rather, it should be handled through proper dialogue—though, certainly, it cannot be resolved through mere sweet talk or empty promises,” she added.
Senators urge peaceful resolution
The Senate minority bloc urged a peaceful resolution, citing concerns for Dela Rosa’s safety and calling for him to answer the allegations through the legal process.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday also called for a peaceful arrest that would protect both Dela Rosa and the officers involved.
Lacson said Dela Rosa, a fellow former national police chief, was entitled to due process.
“I sincerely hope and pray that should his arrest take place sooner or later, it will be carried out peacefully, without violence or tragedy,” Lacson said.
The government on Friday offered a record P50-million reward for information leading to Dela Rosa’s arrest.
In a TV interview Sunday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla justified the amount, saying it would come from intelligence funds intended for information gathering and rewards.
Remulla said authorities were negotiating with an unidentified armed group allegedly sheltering Dela Rosa in Mindanao to secure his turnover and avert bloodshed.
He warned an operation could cause as many as 10,000 deaths but did not identify the group or disclose Dela Rosa’s location.
Gatchalian questioned the talks, saying authorities should assert their power, though he acknowledged he did not know the details.
Criticism over Bato handling
The August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) criticized the administration and Remulla over delays in arresting high-profile suspects, questioning why warrants remained unserved despite intelligence on their whereabouts and substantial confidential and intelligence funds.
Lawyer Kristina Conti said the bounty—the government’s highest ever for a fugitive—underscored failures to enforce the warrant and the influence of Dela Rosa’s backers.
“Ironically, putting a P50-million bounty on Bato Dela Rosa only highlights the incompetence of the Marcos administration in implementing the ICC warrant, before and now,” Conti said in a Facebook statement.
She cited the failure of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Bureau of Investigation and the PNP to keep Dela Rosa within reach in May 2026.
Conti, an assistant to ICC counsel representing victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and their families, urged Dela Rosa to surrender and face the proceedings.
Dela Rosa lawyers question reward
Dela Rosa faces an ICC warrant over alleged crimes against humanity tied to the Duterte administration’s drug war. He is accused of being a co-perpetrator with Duterte in murder and attempted murder cases. Both deny the allegations.
Dela Rosa’s lawyers have questioned the reward’s legal basis, arguing that the government must identify a Philippine court warrant authorizing his arrest and the authority to use public funds for the bounty.
Lacson denied that the reward and one-week surrender ultimatum were meant to prevent Dela Rosa from joining Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
He said the Senate could not compel the senator while he was in hiding and that he would likely be arrested if he appeared.
Dela Rosa briefly appeared at the Senate on May 11 to vote for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president. He left after a May 13 shooting incident and was last reported leaving before dawn on May 14.