Philippine Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida has ordered authorities to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for the arrest of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who is wanted on charges of crimes against humanity. Vida declared Dela Rosa a “fugitive from justice” during a news conference on Thursday, warning that anyone aiding the senator’s evasion would face criminal charges.
Dela Rosa, former national police chief under President Rodrigo Duterte, is accused of overseeing the deadly crackdown on illegal drugs that killed thousands of mostly petty suspects between 2016 and 2018. The ICC warrant, unsealed on May 11, charges him with the murder of “no less than 32 persons” during that period. Duterte himself was arrested last year and is on trial at the ICC for crimes against humanity.
Dela Rosa had petitioned the Philippine Supreme Court to block the warrant, arguing the country is no longer a member of the ICC, but the court rejected his petition. Vida stated that authorities have leads on Dela Rosa’s whereabouts but declined to provide details. He emphasised the government’s obligation to pursue justice for the thousands killed, including minors.
Dela Rosa has been absent from the Senate for months due to arrest fears but made a sudden appearance on May 11 to support Senator Alan Peter Cayetano in a leadership vote. National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to serve the warrant then, but Dela Rosa fled to the Senate plenary hall, where allied senators took him into protective custody. Two days later, he escaped after gunshots fired by security personnel caused chaos, allegedly allowing him to flee in an SUV driven by Senator Robinhood Padilla.
The case unfolds amid escalating political tensions between the Duterte family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter, has accused Marcos of “kidnapping” her father and handing him to the ICC. She was impeached last week by the House of Representatives, dominated by Marcos allies, and faces a Senate trial in July on allegations of unexplained wealth, misuse of funds, and threats against the president, which she denies.
