Philippines Moves to Arrest Duterte’s Former Drug War Enforcer

The Philippine government says it is moving to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa after the country’s top court rejected his attempt to block an International Criminal Court warrant tied to alleged crimes against humanity during Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs”.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Thursday that law enforcement agencies had been ordered to track down the senator, warning that anyone helping him avoid arrest would “face consequences”.

“Senator Bato is a fugitive from justice. We’re pursuing this so that the ends of justice may be achieved,” Vida told reporters.

Authorities have not disclosed where dela Rosa is believed to be hiding, although his legal team said earlier this week that he remained inside the Philippines.

The senator, better known by his nickname “Bato”, disappeared again after briefly resurfacing last week following six months out of public view. He had taken shelter inside the Philippine Senate before leaving in the early hours of May 14 after a chaotic night involving gunfire and confusion surrounding fears of an imminent arrest.

The case is tied to one of the bloodiest chapters in recent Philippine politics. As national police chief under former President Rodrigo Duterte, dela Rosa became the public face of the government’s anti-drug crackdown between 2016 and 2022.

During that campaign, thousands of suspected drug dealers and users were killed in police operations and vigilante-style shootings. Police often described the deaths as linked to criminal turf wars, but international human rights groups and ICC prosecutors argued the killings formed part of a systematic state campaign.

The ICC estimates that between 12,000 and 30,000 people were killed from 2016 to 2019 during the drug war.

Dela Rosa has consistently denied ordering or encouraging unlawful killings.

Duterte himself is already in ICC custody in The Hague after being transferred there in March 2025. He also denies wrongdoing and maintains that his anti-drug campaign was lawful.

The Philippine National Police appeared more cautious in its response on Thursday. Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez acknowledged the justice department’s order but stopped short of explicitly saying officers would arrest the senator.

“The PNP likewise assures the public ‌that ‌all actions undertaken shall remain impartial, professional, and within the bounds of the law, with full respect for the constitutional rights of all parties concerned,” Nartatez said in a statement.

The confrontation is quickly becoming more than just a legal battle. It is also exposing deep political fractures inside the Philippines, where Duterte and his allies still retain significant support despite mounting international scrutiny over the drug war.