Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to address ongoing issues pertaining to the ICC arrest warrant. Dela Rosa appeals for understanding and sympathy from his fellow uniformed service comrades. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE- DELA ROSA

Agatha Gregorio

Adrian Ayalin

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/177926133800820260513-senate-ronald-bato-dela-rosa-MT3 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to address ongoing issues pertaining to the ICC arrest warrant. Dela Rosa appeals for understanding and sympathy from his fellow uniformed service comrades<em>. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(6th UPDATE) </strong>— Voting 9-5-1, the Supreme Court (SC) denied Wednesday the temporary restraining order (TRO) request of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa against the implementation of the International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/dela-rosa-camp-counters-osg-position-bato-not-a-fugitive-1604">Dela Rosa camp counters OSG position: Bato not a fugitive</a></div><p>In the special en banc session Wednesday, the high court also denied the issuance of a status quo ante order against respondent Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.</p><p>Dela Rosa asked for the issuance of a TRO and status quo ante order that would prevent law enforcement and other government agencies from arresting him on the basis of any warrant from the ICC as well as a red notice and diffusion from the International Criminal Police Organization, or any foreign judicial or quasi-judicial instrument without a Philippine judicial warrant.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/doj-bato-can-go-to-senate-without-fear-of-arrest-pending-sc-ruling-1234">DOJ: Bato can go to Senate without fear of arrest pending SC ruling</a></div><p>The ICC arrest warrant identified Dela Rosa as a &quot;co-perpetrator&quot; in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, stemming from the thousands of deaths recorded in the war on drugs during his presidency.</p><p>The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), which represented the government officials, argued that Republic Act 9851 —the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity — authorizes the government to enforce the ICC arrest warrant without need for validation by a Philippine court.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/17/gov-t-urges-sc-to-deny-bato-petition-to-block-icc-arrest-warrant-1044">Gov’t urges SC to deny Bato petition to block ICC arrest warrant</a></div><p>The SC noted that it only decided on the prayers for interim relief and that the main issues raised by the parties in their pleadings and motions are yet to be resolved in the main case.</p><p>Dela Rosa&#x27;s camp said on Wednesday afternoon that they respect the Supreme Court&#x27;s resolution, but will also file a motion for reconsideration.</p><p>&quot;The principal and substantive constitutional issues raised by the Petitioners have not yet been resolved and remain pending by the High Court in the main case,&quot; the senator&#x27;s lawyers said.</p><p>&quot;We will exhaust every remedy available under law. We will continue to appear before every proper forum, at every stage of this litigation, with full respect for the Court and with full fidelity to the Constitution.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>GO SIGNAL FOR ‘NATIONWIDE MANHUNT’<br/></strong></div><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/177926156816920260513-senate-pro-impeachment-protest-JC7610.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Protesters gather outside the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on May 13, 2026, calling for the immediate arrest of Senator Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; Dela Rosa. The International Criminal Court recently confirmed the issuance of an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa—originally issued under seal in November 2025—as an &quot;indirect co-perpetrator&quot; in killings related to the Duterte administration&#x27;s anti-drug campaign. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>Law enforcement authorities should take the Supreme Court’s rejection of Dela Rosa’s TRO request as a go signal to undertake a nationwide manhunt, according to Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/pdp-laban-official-blasts-icc-decision-upholding-jurisdiction-over-duterte-1318">PDP Laban official blasts ICC decision upholding jurisdiction over Duterte</a></div><p>The House lawmaker stressed there should be “no safe quarters for those with blood of thousands on their hands.”</p><p>In a statement released on Wednesday about the SC’s move, Cendaña said, “This should be taken as a go-signal by our law enforcement authorities to undertake a full-on nationwide manhunt for International Fugitive Bato dela Rosa.”</p><p>Those protecting fugitives should also be accountable, Cendaña added.</p><p>“Kahit ang mga nagkakanlong sa mga pugante ay dapat mapanagot,” the statement read.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/15/-he-is-a-free-man-pdp-says-bato-s-stay-at-senate-not-detention-1015">‘He is a free man’: Bato’s stay at Senate ‘not detention,’ ICC warrant &#x27;invalid&#x27;—PDP</a></div><p>In a separate statement, lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc also called for Dela Rosa&#x27;s immediate arrest.</p><p>&quot;He cannot hide behind political privilege, manufactured legal confusion, or the networks of impunity that protected the bloody drug war,&quot; ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane  Elago and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co said.</p><p>&quot;A public official who helped implement a policy that resulted in mass killings cannot demand special treatment when he is finally made to answer,&quot; they also said.</p><p>In a post, ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima wrote: &quot;Sa desisyon ng SC, dapat sumuko na si Bato. Due process pa ito sa kanya. Di tulad ng libo-libong Pilipino na pinapatay nila.&quot;</p><p>Also commenting on the SC’s denial of the request, former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate called it a “major setback for the Duterte-era architects of the drug war.”</p><p>Zarate added there is no constitutional roadblock for now from the highest court when it comes to the enforcement of international justice.</p><p>“It serves notice that the 1987 Constitution&#x27;s Bill of Rights cannot be easily weaponized as a jurisdictional shelter when domestic laws, like [Republic Act] 9851, and global obligations, like with the ICC,  intersect. The enforcement of international justice, for now, faces no constitutional roadblock from the highest court,” Zarate said in a statement.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares said Dela Rosa is “given special treatment” as a senator.</p><p>“While ordinary people are arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest, Bato is given special treatment because he is a senator. Hindi patas ang batas, ang hustisya ay mahirap para sa mahihirap,” Colmenares said. </p><p>For Colmenares, any refusal from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to execute the warrant is a “case of unjust discrimination and unequal protection of law.” </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATORS REACT</strong></div><p>Senator Erwin Tulfo, asked for his reaction to the development, said  he did not want to interfere with the decision of the country&#x27;s highest court.</p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s the prerogative of the Supreme Court,&quot; he said.</p><p>Senator Raffy Tulfo, meanwhile, wished Dela Rosa good luck, while Senator Win Gatchalian called it &quot;part of the judicial process.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kung walang TRO, klaro na ang enforcement agencies, may basis na sila to arrest him,&quot; said Gatchalian.</p><p>Senator Robinhood Padilla, who was seen on CCTV footage accompanying Dela Rosa on his way out of the Senate complex, was saddened by the Supreme Court&#x27;s decision.</p><p>&quot;Wala naman tayong pwedeng maging reaksyon. Malungkot tayo,&quot; said Padilla, while reiterating that he has no knowledge of Dela Rosa&#x27;s current whereabouts. </p><p>Senator Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, noted that Dela Rosa &quot;has a lot of legal remedies left.&quot; &quot;It&#x27;s up to his lawyers,&quot; he said. -- <strong>with a report from Darylle Sarmiento, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZMLHO8ck3o?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hodUnslMCmA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Voting 9-5-1, the Supreme Court (SC) denied Wednesday the temporary restraining order (TRO) request of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa against the implementation of the ICC arrest warrant against him.</p>

Voting 9-5-1, the Supreme Court (SC) denied Wednesday the temporary restraining order (TRO) request of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa against the implementation of the ICC arrest warrant against him.

Supreme Court rejects Bato Dela Rosa's TRO request vs ICC warrant

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Supreme Court rejects Bato Dela Rosa's TRO request vs ICC warrant

Agatha Gregorio,

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 20, 2026 02:22 PM PHT

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Updated May 20, 2026 11:14 PM PHT

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