politics
ICC Unseals Arrest Warrant for Philippine Senator
A Philippine senator and former national police chief sought refuge inside the Senate after agents attempted to serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant unsealed on Monday. The senator, accused of involvement in killings during the 2016-2018 anti-drug campaign, remains under protective custody as police have declined to arrest him inside the building.
AJ
BBC NewsAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
A Philippine senator named in an International Criminal Court arrest warrant unsealed on May 12 2026 entered the Senate building that day to cast a vote and remained inside under protective custody through the following morning. According to security camera footage cited by multiple outlets, National Bureau of Investigation agents pursued the senator up stairs and along a corridor shortly after his arrival.
Post by @AJEnglish on X
Senate officials stated police would not execute an arrest while the senator stayed within the chamber’s protective custody.
The senator, Ronald dela Rosa, told reporters he would answer any obligation in a local court but not a foreign one. “We will exhaust all available legal means so we will not be brought to The Hague,” dela Rosa said, according to the Japan Times. His lawyers filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to block any arrest in the absence of a valid Philippine judicial warrant.
Dela Rosa has maintained he acted within the law during the anti-drug campaign when he served as national police chief under former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The ICC warrant accuses dela Rosa of indirect co-perpetration in the killing of at least 32 people between 2016 and 2018 as part of the drug war that resulted in thousands of deaths. Duterte, who appointed dela Rosa, has been in ICC custody in The Hague since March 2025.
Last month ICC judges ruled that the Philippines remained bound by the court’s jurisdiction for crimes committed while it was still a member of the Rome Statute, rejecting arguments based on the country’s 2019 withdrawal.
By Tuesday the senator was still inside the Senate. Supporters gathered outside the building, where riot police blocked access. Dela Rosa urged his backers to maintain a vigil until the Supreme Court issues a decision. Five senators issued a resolution stating the chamber has no authority to provide protective custody or sanctuary from lawful arrest, according to Rappler.
