Malacañang on Wednesday reiterated the validity of the arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, following the Supreme Court’s denial of the lawmaker’s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) directive for his capture over alleged crimes against humanity.
The high court released its resolution on Wednesday afternoon, a week after the senator—who served as the chief implementer of the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs—fled the Senate premises. Dela Rosa’s departure contradicted his earlier guarantees that he would remain under protective custody while magistrates deliberated on his petition.
The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the main case raised by Dela Rosa, having only issued a decision regarding his plea for a TRO.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the executive branch maintains the validity of the warrant, deferring specific evaluations to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Sa ngayon masasabi po natin na ang warrant of arrest ay valid laban kay Sen. Bato Dela Rosa at ang lahat ng maaring interpretasyon o evaluation sa nasabing resolution ng Supreme Court ay ibabato natin kay [Justice Secretary] Fredderick Vida,” Castro told Palace reporters.
For now, we can say that the warrant of arrest against Sen. Bato Dela Rosa is valid, and we will defer any interpretation or evaluation of the said Supreme Court resolution to [Justice Secretary] Fredderick Vida.
Castro added that the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) confirmed the warrant does not require local court intervention to be executed.
“Ayon sa [Office of the Solicitor General] na kumakatawan sa gobyerno… sabi po niya ay hindi kailangan dumaan sa lokal na court so since walang TRO tayo po ay nagsasabi na ang warrant of arrest ay valid,” she said.
According to the [Office of the Solicitor General] representing the government… he said it does not need to pass through a local court, so since there is no TRO, we are saying that the warrant of arrest is valid.
While the OSG currently considers Dela Rosa a fugitive, Castro declined to categorically label his covert departure from the Senate as an “escape,” though she noted the President’s disapproval of the action.
“Kung ikokonsidera ito na pagtakas at pag-alis ay hindi natin dedesisyunan o bibigyan ng judgement pero sa paningin ng Pangulo ay hindi ito dapat nararapat,” Castro said.
Whether this will be considered an escape or fleeing is not for us to decide or pass judgment on, but in the eyes of the President, this should not have happened.
“Alam po natin na ang mga tao na dapat may panagutan, iyan din ay ayon sa Pangulo, ay dapat na managot. Kung wala namang kasalanan ay kailangan ma-clear ang kanilang mga pangalan,” she added.
We know that people who need to be held accountable, and this is also according to the President, must be held accountable. If they are innocent, then their names need to be cleared.
Dela Rosa quietly left the Senate premises at around 2:30 a.m. on May 14, amid chaos triggered by several gunshots in the legislative halls. He had been seeking sanctuary there for three days after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) attempted to arrest him on May 11. The NBI had initially held off serving the warrant after the Senate placed the lawmaker under protective custody.
Malacañang stated that all subsequent operational details regarding the arrest would be left to the discretion of the DOJ.
The Palace also dismissed allegations from the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSAA) claiming that the CCTV footage of the Senate gunfire presented to the public was “spliced.”
“Ang naipresent po sa briefing sa kahapon ay galing din po mismo sa Senado kung ano pa man po ang ebidensya, kakailanganin po yan ng DOJ at ng Ombudsman para makita natin ang buong katotohanan,” Castro said.
What was presented in the briefing yesterday came from the Senate itself; whatever the evidence may be, the DOJ and the Ombudsman will need it so we can see the whole truth.
“Ang magagawa ng Pangulo ay sumunod sa batas at tumalima sa rule of law.”
What the President can do is follow the law and comply with the rule of law.
Dela Rosa went into hiding in late 2025 following reports that the ICC had issued a warrant for his arrest, alongside other co-conspirators, for murder as a crime against humanity linked to the drug war.
He resurfaced at the Senate on May 11, shortly before allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte executed a leadership change to install Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. Dela Rosa previously admitted in interviews that Cayetano had instructed him to return to the chamber to cast his vote for the leadership reorganization.
CCTV footage later revealed that Senator Robin Padilla, another Duterte ally, accompanied Dela Rosa when he exited the Senate premises in the dead of night.