By Karen Lema and Nestor Corrales
MANILA, May 11 (Reuters) – Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the chief enforcer of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly “war on drugs”, was on Monday placed under the protective custody of the Senate after a brief standoff with law enforcement agents.
It was not immediately clear why agents from the National Bureau of Investigation were at the Senate, but the move came amid media reports that an arrest warrant would be issued for former police chief dela Rosa over his alleged role in thousands of killings under Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign.
Duterte, president from 2016-2022, was arrested by Philippine police in March 2025 and taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. ICC judges last month ruled Duterte must stand trial and confirmed the murder charges against him as crimes against humanity, paving the way for a trial.
Dela Rosa, who is mentioned by ICC prosecutors as a co-conspirator in the Duterte case, was seen attending a Senate session on Monday for the first time since disappearing from public view in November. He has previously denied being involved in illegal killings.
Dela Rosa, police and the NBI did not immediately respond to separate requests for comment.
PROTECTIVE SENATE CUSTODY
There has been growing speculation that dela Rosa would join Duterte to face accusations from the International Criminal Court about his role in the war on drugs, in which thousands of alleged dealers and users were killed, many in mysterious circumstances.
Video footage displayed during the Senate session showed dela Rosa running away from Philippine agents and stumbling on stairs before reaching the safety of his office in the Senate building.
“Senator Bato will enjoy the protection of the law and the protection of the Senate in accordance with our rules and Philippine laws,” said Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of dela Rosa, who was installed as Senate president on Monday.
Dela Rosa is nicknamed Bato, which means rock in English.
Duterte famously promised in public speeches to kill thousands of people. His defence has said he maintains his innocence and that his rhetoric was intended to instil fear and respect for the law.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes, who led multiple investigations into the war on drugs and long campaigned for Duterte to be indicted by the ICC, told Reuters that dela Rosa was the subject of an ICC arrest warrant.
The ICC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trillanes told reporters that he was at the Senate on Monday because dela Rosa had previously dared him to be there when an ICC arrest warrant was served.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter has previously said an ICC warrant has been issued for dela Rosa.
Last year, Philippine ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said an warrant had been issued for dela Rosa. However, no announcement has been made since.
Trillanes said he had obtained a copy of the ICC warrant for dela Rosa, though interior secretary Jonvic Remulla told Reuters he was unaware whether any formal documentation from the court had been submitted to the Philippines through official channels.
Dela Rosa last year told told DZRH radio he is prepared to face the ICC, adding “we are ready all the time. Whatever happens, I am ready.”
(Reporting by Nestor Corrales and Karen Lema; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by David Stanway)
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