There’s no arrest warrant yet from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the former top cop of the Philippines. But if that changes, Philippine officials are ready to act, said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Bersamin spoke to reporters on Sunday while President Bongbong Marcos was about to fly to the United States. When asked if there was an ICC arrest order for Bato, he said clearly, “Wala.” (There’s none.)
But he also warned:
“If a warrant comes, especially if it goes through Interpol, we will treat it the same way we did with former President Duterte.”
⚖️ So, what does that mean?
The Interpol is like a big international police network. The Philippines is part of it. So, if the ICC asks Interpol to help, Filipino authorities might have to arrest Bato, just like they did with ex-President Duterte, who is now in jail in The Hague, Netherlands.
Bersamin added:
“We’ll follow the law. We’re not doing this for politics. We treat everyone fairly—no favorites.”
As of now, Senator Bato hasn’t responded to the news.
🚨 Why is this such a big deal?
Bato Dela Rosa is known for creating “Oplan Tokhang,” the anti-drug operation during President Duterte’s term. First done in Davao City, it quickly spread across the country and became controversial.
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Official police reports say around 6,000 people died during the war on drugs.
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But human rights groups believe the number could be as high as 30,000, including people killed by unknown gunmen.
🧾 What does the law say?
If someone is already being investigated or charged by an international court like the ICC, the Philippines can skip its own investigation and instead turn over the suspect—through extradition laws and treaties.
Bersamin says they’ll wait for orders from the Supreme Court if any changes come up.
🧍What’s next for Bato?
Right now, there’s no arrest order. But since he’s named in the ICC documents as one of Duterte’s co-perpetrators, things might change.
If the ICC pushes through with a warrant and Interpol gets involved, Bato could be arrested next—just like Duterte.
