Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE- DELA ROSA

Karen De Guzman

Harlene Delgado

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/178590042843320260513-senate-ronald-bato-dela-rosa-MT4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday refuted unverified claims that Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had supposedly been captured. </p><p>“As of 6 o’clock p.m. last night, there has been no arrest for Senator Bato. There has been a lot of speculation na nahuli siya and he’s being whisked away to The Hague. Hindi po totoo ‘yan,” DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla told reporters. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F924772099971744%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The lawmaker has been in hiding for months due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over his alleged role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. </p><p>Meanwhile, Malacañang accused several allies of Vice President Sara Duterte of “diversionary tactics” from the ongoing impeachment trial in the wake of unverified claims on Dela Rosa’s arrest. </p><p>Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro mentioned lawyer Jimmy Bondoc and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque for allegedly spreading social media posts without contexts. </p><p>“Mapapansin na walang laman at walang konteksto ang pinapakalat nina Atty. Bondoc at Roque about Sen. Bato,” she said in a statement Wednesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/22/remulla-pnp-adopts-new-strategy-to-track-dela-rosa-1822">Remulla: PNP adopts new strategy to track Dela Rosa </a></div><p>Several news outlets have been attributing a Facebook post to Bondoc saying, “Bad news is coming. Pray hard that it is not true, for the good of the nation.” The said post can no longer be found in Bondoc’s official Facebook page as of writing. </p><p>Meanwhile, Roque in a Facebook post said “Meron nga daw nang-hudas kay Bato”. He did not expound.</p><p>“‘Timing’ ang ginagawa nila... para matabunan ang mga naisiwalat ng COA (Commission on Audit) patungkol sa mga walang resibo na paggasta milyong-milyong pisong confidential funds ni VP SARA sa OVP at DEPED. Makikita ang motibo sa ginagawang diversionary tactic ng mga kaalyado ni VP Sara,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">Impeachment Trial of Sara Duterte </a></div><p>The Palace official advised the public to examine first the sources of news and to only trust mainstream media for verified news. </p><p>&quot;Bago po ang ating mga kababayan na maniwala sa mga usap-usapan, alamin natin yung source? Ano ang motibo ng mga nagpapakalat? Dito po natin hahanggaan ang nasa kilalang mainstream media na hindi biased dahil bago magbalita ay inaalam ang katotohanan,” she said.</p><p>“Maging mapanuri... mainstream media pa rin ang unang dapat na pagtiwalaan sa mga beripikadong balita,” Castro added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/5/coa-use-of-aliases-in-confidential-fund-receipts-neither-allowed-nor-prohibited-1118">COA: Use of aliases in confidential fund receipts &#x27;neither allowed nor prohibited&#x27; </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/5/live-updates-vice-president-sara-duterte-s-impeachment-trial-day-13-0856">LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s Impeachment Trial (Day 13)</a></div><p>Earlier, Duterte criticized the quality of journalism in the Philippines, particularly the mainstream media saying they fail to meet international standards following claims that some of her statements in a gathering in the Hague were taken out of context.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><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/8Bqf5XteNwE?&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/Gc3pTqG6SB8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span> </strong></div>

<p>The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday refuted unverified claims that Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had supposedly been captured.</p>

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday refuted unverified claims that Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had supposedly been captured.

DILG denies supposed Dela Rosa arrest; Palace accuses Duterte allies of ‘diversionary tactic’

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DILG denies supposed Dela Rosa arrest; Palace accuses Duterte allies of ‘diversionary tactic’

Karen De Guzman,

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 05, 2026 11:32 AM PHT

Read More:

Malacañang

Claire Castro

Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa

ICC

Harry Roque

Jimmy Bondoc

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