Jamaine Punzalan

Senator Bato Dela Rosa turns emotional as he delivers a speech during the prayer rally expressing support to former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on March 15, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176517966633420250316-pro-duterte-protest-dela-rosa-MT035.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Bato Dela Rosa turns emotional as he delivers a speech during the prayer rally expressing support to former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on March 15, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday it had “no information” on a supposed warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court against Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa.</p><p>“I have no information on a supposed arrest warrant for Senator Dela Rosa,” Duterte&#x27;s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said.</p><p>He said any additional arrest warrant would “defy prosecutorial logic” since the ICC had yet to resolve an appeal that it is not competent to judge Duterte, who is accused of crimes against humanity.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s defense last May contested the court&#x27;s right to judge the 80-year-old former head of state, saying the Asian country had withdrawn from the court&#x27;s jurisdiction.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/sotto-to-critics-of-dela-rosa-s-weekslong-absence-file-ethics-complaint-1423">Sotto to critics of Dela Rosa&#x27;s weekslong absence: &#x27;File ethics complaint&#x27;</a></div><p>On Sunday, Duterte’s former Palace spokesperson Harry Roque claimed that a warrant of arrest for Dela Rosa “is out.”</p><p>“H’wag ka pa-kidnap. Insist that you have the right to be brought before a Philippine court first,” Roque said.</p><p>“Sen Bato: mag posas ka na sa loob ng hukuman, preferably sa Supreme Court! Mag sanctuary ka dun! Hwag na hwag ka magpapadukot,” he added.</p><p>The former government official did not reveal the source of his information.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/4/bato-s-lawyer-taking-serious-note-of-dilg-chief-s-statement-on-arrest-1646">Bato&#x27;s lawyer &#x27;taking serious note&#x27; of DILG chief&#x27;s statement on arrest</a></div><p>But Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said there is an <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/18/sc-denies-dela-rosa-s-motion-to-compel-remulla-to-produce-alleged-icc-warrant-1604">arrest warrant</a> against Dela Rosa from the ICC, but remained mum on why this has yet to be implemented.</p><p>“I can only say it after it is said and done. May mga bagay na hindi puwede sabihin,” Remulla said when asked about the circumstance.</p><p>“Mayroon (arrest warrant) pero may mga bagay ako na hindi puwede sabihin,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/6/remulla-says-bato-in-pampanga-1818">Remulla says Bato in Pampanga</a></div><p>Dela Rosa has filed an urgent plea before the Supreme Court, seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the supposed ICC warrant. </p><p>He has also been absent from Senate sessions since November 11, days after Remulla publicly claimed he had “seen” a copy of the alleged warrant. </p><p>Kaufman previously called the said information “a figment of Ombudsman Remulla’s fertile imagination.” On Monday, he sharpened his criticism further.</p><p>“I do not believe that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla - the unique source of this dubious intelligence - would be so remiss as to dice with prosecution at the ICC for contempt, by leaking the existence of a highly confidential arrest warrant for a suspect. Peddling fake news, however, carries no such risk,” he said.</p><p>The ICC declined to confirm the alleged warrant on November 10.</p><p>Duterte remains at the ICC Detention Centre (ICCDC) in The Hague after the ICC Appeals Chamber upheld a prior ruling denying his request for interim release. His jurisdictional appeal, however, remains pending. </p><p>The challenge stems from an October 23 decision by Pre-Trial Chamber I (PTC), which affirmed the Court’s jurisdiction over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and the Duterte administration’s war on drugs between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019 — the period in which the Philippines was still an ICC State Party.</p><p>Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025 after the PTC found reasonable grounds to believe he bore individual responsibility as an “indirect co-perpetrator,” alongside other alleged co-perpetrators.</p><p>Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief from July 2016 to April 2018, signed and issued Command Memorandum Circular (CMC) No. 16-2016, also known as “Project Double Barrel” or the PNP’s operational plan for implementing Duterte’s war on drugs.</p><div><iframe width="1425" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U22kOJgWDkQ" title="ANC&#x27;s The Weekend Wrap: Dela Rosa missing in action amid talk of possible ICC warrant" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1425" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SYbd-LgUOgc" title="Ombudsman Remulla nanindigang may warrant of arrest ang ICC para kay Sen. Dela Rosa | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday it had “no information” on a supposed warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court against Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa.</p>

The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday it had “no information” on a supposed warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court against Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa.

Duterte camp says ‘no information’ on supposed Dela Rosa arrest warrant

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Duterte camp says ‘no information’ on supposed Dela Rosa arrest warrant

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 08, 2025 03:44 PM PHT

|

Updated December 08, 2025 05:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Dela Rosa

Bato

arrest warrant

ICC

Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte

war on drugs

drug war

crimes against humanity

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