MANILA, Philippines — The Senate minority bloc has urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and concerned government agencies to open negotiations with Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s legal team, warning that a peaceful resolution is preferable to a potentially deadly confrontation as authorities intensify efforts to arrest the former police chief.
The appeal, issued on October 24, comes after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced a ₱50-million reward for information leading to Dela Rosa’s capture and described him as armed and dangerous. The senator is wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
In its statement, the Senate minority said it recognized the government’s responsibility to uphold law and order but maintained that negotiations could still provide a way forward.
The bloc offered to help facilitate discussions between the administration and Dela Rosa’s lawyers, citing the senator’s stated willingness to answer accusations before Philippine courts.
“We believe a peaceful resolution that respects our laws and protects lives remains possible,” the minority said.
The group also called on government officials, law enforcement personnel, Dela Rosa, his family, his legal counsel and his supporters to exercise restraint and keep communication open.
The appeal reflects growing concern over the possibility of a violent confrontation as authorities pursue the senator, who has remained out of public view since leaving the Senate premises in May.
₱50-million reward raises the stakes
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced the reward on October 23, escalating the government’s efforts to locate Dela Rosa.
Remulla had previously discussed negotiations to secure the senator’s surrender, while warning that an arrest operation could carry serious risks. He later declared Dela Rosa armed and dangerous and announced the financial incentive for information leading to his capture.
According to GMA News, Malacañang said Marcos supports the DILG, Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies in their efforts to carry out the arrest.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also argued that the reward would not have been necessary had Dela Rosa not left the Senate in May while authorities were attempting to arrest him.
The government’s position underscores the central challenge facing officials: carrying out an arrest while seeking to prevent casualties.
Why is Dela Rosa wanted by the ICC?
The ICC unsealed Dela Rosa’s arrest warrant on May 11, 2026. The warrant had originally been issued under seal on November 6, 2025.
According to the ICC, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa may bear criminal responsibility as an alleged indirect co-perpetrator of murder as a crime against humanity. The allegations concern at least 32 killings between July 2016 and April 2018, during the period associated with the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Dela Rosa was the Philippine National Police chief from 2016 to 2018 under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is also facing proceedings at the international tribunal.
These remain allegations, not a final determination of guilt. Dela Rosa and Duterte have denied wrongdoing.
The dispute over Philippine sovereignty and due process
The Senate minority has also questioned how the government’s pursuit of Dela Rosa aligns with the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The withdrawal took effect on March 17, 2019.
The ICC’s position is that its investigation concerns alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a state party to the treaty. The tribunal’s proceedings therefore raise questions about jurisdiction, international obligations and the legal consequences of withdrawal.
Dela Rosa’s camp has separately challenged the domestic legal basis for the arrest effort. His lawyers have argued that there is no Philippine court-issued arrest warrant and questioned whether the ICC warrant alone can support the government’s actions.
Those objections represent the defense’s legal position; they do not, by themselves, settle the questions of jurisdiction or enforceability.
The Senate minority has urged the administration to consider Philippine sovereignty, legal safeguards and Dela Rosa’s right to due process while pursuing a lawful resolution.
What happens next?
The minority bloc’s offer to facilitate negotiations now places renewed attention on whether the administration and Dela Rosa’s legal team can agree on a process that avoids violence while addressing the outstanding arrest warrant.
However, the government has reiterated its support for law enforcement efforts, and no agreement resolving the standoff was established in the reports available as of October 25.
The immediate challenge remains balancing the enforcement of legal processes with the protection of lives and the rights of all parties.
Whether dialogue can produce a peaceful outcome—or whether the intensified manhunt will continue without an agreement—remains uncertain.
