Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Incumbent senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa meets with supporters before filing his Certificate of Candidacy at the Manila Hotel in Manila for the 2025 midterm elections on October 3, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation has formed tracking teams and identified three possible locations of Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa as it works to find him and serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for his involvement in the anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.In a radio interview on DZMM on Saturday, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said he cannot promise a specific timeline for Dela Rosa&#x27;s arrest.“What I can share without giving the specific details is there are three areas na amin pong binabantayan, I’m asking help from other personalities and agencies na nasa intelligence network para tulungan kami.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/23/nbi-ready-for-more-icc-warrants-says-dela-rosa-still-in-ph-1306">NBI ready for more ICC warrants, says Dela Rosa still in PH </a></div>He said he formed the tracker teams as soon as the Department of Justice issued the order for law enforcement agencies to implement the warrant.Matibag earlier said in a media forum that Dela Rosa has the option to surrender to authorities, although he personally doubts that this would happen.“That&#x27;s why I&#x27;m always appealing if I have an opportunity to Senator Bato to surrender kung saan na siyang sumuko at harapin niya yung kanyang hinaharap na kaso sa ICC. Pero by the looks of it, baka wala siyang balak sumuko dahil nandyan siya na nga sa Senado, bigla pang wala. Sabi ko nga, huli na, naging Bato pa,” he said.The NBI also earlier confirmed receiving information that additional ICC warrants may be issued soon.Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said that while Malacañang has yet to receive information regarding possible new warrants, it would not be surprising if more are released.“Sa ngayon wala pang binababang impormasyon kung meron man, pero hindi ito katakataka kung meron man dahil marami pang co-perpretrators na nabanggit ang ICC,” she said in a DZMM interview on Sunday, May 24.Castro, however, emphasized that the government has a clear position to enforce any possible arrest warrant from the ICC in line with the directive from the DOJ.“Hindi kailangan dumaan sa local court, meron tayong RA 9851 nakasaad doon kung anong opsyon ng gobyerno maliwanag ito. At international court ang pinaguusapan natin dito at hindi requesting state at yun naman ay wala tayong nilalabag na batas,” she explained.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/dela-rosa-still-in-philippines-cidg-1242">Dela Rosa still in Philippines — CIDG </a></div>Castro also urged individuals identified by the ICC as co-perpetrators in Duterte’s crimes against humanity case to voluntarily surrender once warrants are issued.“Hindi mawawala sa isipan ng taong involved yung mga sinasabing co-perpetrators na magtago pero kung sila ay tunay na Pilipino at sila ay tunay na mga dating nagsisilbi sa bayan….dapat alam nila kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng warrant of arrest. So in other words kung meron diyang warrant of arrests at wala namang TRO mula sa Supreme Court dapat sila mismo ang sumuko,” she said.

The National Bureau of Investigation has formed tracking teams and identified three possible locations of Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa as it works to find him and serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for his involvement in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

The National Bureau of Investigation has formed tracking teams and identified three possible locations of Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa as it works to find him and serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for his involvement in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

NBI teams monitoring 3 areas Bato Dela Rosa might be hiding

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NBI teams monitoring 3 areas Bato Dela Rosa might be hiding

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 24, 2026 01:43 PM PHT

Read More:

National Bureau of Investigation

Ronald Dela Rosa

International Criminal Court

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