Vice President Sara Duterte has come out swinging against Philippine authorities’ attempt to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa within the Senate premises, calling the move a violation of legal sovereignty.
The Vice President drew parallels between the current situation and the legal challenges facing her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, insisting that international warrants have no standing unless validated by local judiciary.
”Mali ‘yan. Tulad ng ginawa nila kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, mali din yun.”
Duterte argued that the enforcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant bypassed necessary domestic legal protocols.
”Dahil ang isang warrant of arrest galing sa labas ng Pilipinas, hindi issued by a Philippine court, should be presented in a Philippine court.”
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I issued the warrant on November 6, 2025, though it was only made public this week. The court alleges there are “reasonable grounds” to hold Dela Rosa criminally responsible as an “indirect co-perpetrator” for at least 32 killings during the administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The high-profile attempt to serve the warrant in the Senate marks a significant escalation in the tension between the ICC’s pursuit of “crimes against humanity” charges and the Duterte family’s insistence on Philippine judicial independence.