The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally addressed the swirling rumors regarding an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, clarifying that no such document has been made public.
The advisory, released on Saturday, aimed to temper rising tensions and widespread speculation concerning the former Philippine National Police chief’s legal standing.
“No public arrest warrants have been issued in relation to the situation in the Philippines,” the ICC stated.
The clarification follows recent statements from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who revealed that the government had already begun preparing a 10,000-strong task force for potential “dragnet operations” should a warrant be served.
Despite these preparations, Remulla admitted that his office has not seen any official documentation or evidence of Interpol presence in the country.
Dela Rosa has been a central figure in the ICC’s investigation into the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs,” where he was previously tagged as a “co-perpetrator” in alleged crimes against humanity.
Since November of last year, the senator has been notably absent from Senate sessions, a move widely viewed as a response to the intensifying international probe.
“We have also not yet seen or received a copy of said arrest warrant. We shall provide further details as soon as it becomes available,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) added in a separate briefing.
Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution and rely only on verified information from official channels to avoid the spread of misinformation.