Jamaine Punzalan

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa turns emotional while speaking with fellow Senator Bong Go during the start of the plenary session at the Senate of the Philippines on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News.

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

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/177942468360320260512-senate-bato-dela-rosa-crying-MT1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa turns emotional while speaking with fellow Senator Bong Go during the start of the plenary session at the Senate of the Philippines on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News. </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) — Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; Dela Rosa is still in the Philippines, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Friday, as the search continued for the lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court.</p><p>CIDG director PMGen. Robert Morico II confirmed that the Philippine National Police had already received a copy of the ICC warrant and had been directed to enforce it following guidance from the Department of Justice.</p><p>&quot;The DOJ has ruled that the warrant of arrest is enforceable. We were directed already by the chief PNP to implement it. The CIDG, in coordination with other territorial PNP units, will be enforcing that warrant,&quot; Morico said.</p><p>Morico declined to disclose Dela Rosa&#x27;s exact whereabouts but maintained that the senator has not left the country.</p><p>&quot;We must remember na dati siyang PNP officer. So I&#x27;m sure, nanonood siya. And from my expression, body language, and the way I answer, i-interpret niya. He is a good intelligence officer,&quot; he added.</p><p>Authorities earlier said they had obtained leads on Dela Rosa&#x27;s movements after he left the Senate on May 14.</p><div> </div><div><strong>OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE?</strong></div><div> </div><p>Morico said investigators are also looking into possible obstruction of justice if individuals knowingly helped Dela Rosa evade arrest.</p><p>&quot;If there is a warrant and you obstruct somebody, or you aid and abet a fugitive from evading justice, you’re violating the law,&quot; Morico said.</p><p>He warned that charges could also be filed against people who may prevent authorities from serving the warrant, including guards or property owners who refuse law enforcement access during operations.</p><p>Sen. Robinhood Padilla earlier denied helping Dela Rosa &quot;escape&quot; the Senate building.</p><p>The senator said Dela Rosa merely asked for a ride because he did not have his own vehicle at the time after being dropped off by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.</p><p>Padilla added that Dela Rosa later got off in Makati where another vehicle fetched him and that he did not ask where Dela Rosa was headed afterward.</p><p>&quot;Depende kung andodoon sa bahay niya [ni Padilla] ‘yun at makukuha namin doon sa loob ng bahay niya rin, e di obstruction of justice rin po ‘yan,&quot; Morico explained. </p><div> </div><div><strong>DELA ROSA TO UNDERGO SAME PROCEDURES</strong></div><div> </div><p>Meanwhile, the PNP maintained police personnel would carry out the operation professionally despite Dela Rosa being a former PNP chief.</p><p>The CIDG is also coordinating closely with the National Bureau of Investigation in implementing the arrest order. </p><p>Once arrested, Dela Rosa will undergo the same booking procedures before being turned over to the DOJ for further guidance.</p><p>&quot;It is up for the Department of Justice or the concerned judicial body to decide kung paano po siya — where he will go kung saan po siya idi-dispose. Our duty right now, our task is to arrest,&quot; Morico said.</p><p>The ICC last week unsealed an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa, accused along with former president Rodrigo Duterte and other &quot;co-perpetrators&quot; of the crime against humanity of murder under the war on drugs. </p><p>Dela Rosa had sheltered at the Senate last week, but left its premises after a shooting incident between Senate security personnel and the National Bureau of Investigation. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/-wala-namang-humarang-sa-amin-padilla-says-dela-rosa-dropped-off-in-makati-after-senate-exit-1015">‘Wala namang humarang sa amin’: Padilla says Dela Rosa dropped off in Makati after Senate exit </a></div><p>The Supreme Court&#x27;s interim ruling on Wednesday <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/sc-rejects-bato-dela-rosa-s-tro-request-vs-icc-warrant-1422">denied Dela Rosa’s bid for a temporary restraining order</a>, which meant the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/vida-pnp-nbi-now-tasked-to-effect-arrest-of-dela-rosa-1242">ICC warrant can now be enforced</a>, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said Thursday. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/arrest-warrant-vs-dela-rosa-valid-palace-says-after-supreme-court-denies-tro-1606">Arrest warrant vs Dela Rosa ‘valid’, Palace says after Supreme Court denies TRO </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/pnp-deploys-tracker-teams-to-arrest-dela-rosa-0939">PNP deploys tracker teams to arrest Dela Rosa</a></div><div><em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/torre-says-willing-to-join-search-for-dela-rosa-1049"></a></em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/torre-says-willing-to-join-search-for-dela-rosa-1049"></a><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/torre-says-willing-to-join-search-for-dela-rosa-1049">Torre says willing to join search for Dela Rosa</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/rodrigo-duterte-under-cell-monitoring-due-to-rare-occasions-of-fall-icc-registry-1435">ICC Registry says Duterte’s falls were ‘rare occasions,’ disputes defense claim of ‘frequent episodes’ </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/icc-judges-reject-defense-request-to-leave-to-appeal-decision-confirming-charges-in-duterte-case-2226">ICC judges reject defense plea to appeal decision confirming charges vs Duterte </a></div><div><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/X54jeG2qNEY?&amp;t=1s&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/IT__LW5hnsk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/><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/z9QavpYgn58?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/torre-says-willing-to-join-search-for-dela-rosa-1049"></a></div><div><em> </em></div>

<p>Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is still in the Philippines, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Friday, as the search continued for the lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court.</p>

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is still in the Philippines, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Friday, as the search continued for the lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court.

Dela Rosa still in Philippines — CIDG

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Dela Rosa still in Philippines — CIDG

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 22, 2026 12:42 PM PHT

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Updated May 22, 2026 06:33 PM PHT

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