MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has vowed that no personal relationship, political connection or former position will stand in the way of enforcing the arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, as the nationwide manhunt for the former police chief continues.
Nartatez made the commitment on Wednesday, November 4, following a challenge from Malacañang for the police organization to demonstrate that Dela Rosa’s previous leadership of the PNP would not influence the operation.
The statement comes amid growing pressure on authorities to locate the senator, who is wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged crimes against humanity connected to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
With a ₱50-million reward offered for information leading to his arrest, nationwide tracker teams organized and public hotlines receiving tips, the government is intensifying efforts to locate the missing senator.
But the operation carries an unusual challenge: the man being pursued once led the very police organization now tasked with finding him.
Nartatez: No position or personal relationship is above the law
In his statement, Nartatez welcomed Malacañang’s challenge and stressed that the PNP would remain professional and impartial in carrying out lawful orders.
He emphasized that an individual’s former rank, political influence or personal relationship with police personnel should never interfere with law enforcement responsibilities.
“The loyalty of every police officer must always be to the Constitution and the law, not to personalities or former positions,” Nartatez said.
He added that the PNP would remain steadfast in implementing lawful orders regardless of the identity of the person involved.
The statement is particularly significant because Dela Rosa previously served as PNP chief under Duterte from July 2016 to April 2018. During that period, he became one of the most recognizable figures associated with the administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Nartatez’s declaration is intended to make clear that Dela Rosa’s former authority over the police force will not exempt him from an arrest operation.
Malacañang challenges police to put duty above loyalty
The PNP chief’s statement followed remarks from Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, who challenged police officials to prioritize their constitutional responsibilities over personal friendships and professional connections.
Castro said the administration trusts Nartatez and the entire police organization to enforce the arrest warrant without being influenced by Dela Rosa’s former position.
Her comments came after Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla acknowledged that the manhunt could be more difficult because Dela Rosa knows how the police operate and has longstanding connections within the organization.
Dela Rosa also belongs to Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986, giving him professional connections extending beyond his years as PNP chief.
Castro said the concern should serve as a challenge to police leadership rather than an excuse for failing to carry out its responsibilities.
She also stressed that any allegation of police personnel deliberately sheltering the senator would need to be established and proven.
The Palace has maintained that law enforcement officials are expected to perform their duties regardless of personal relationships.
₱50-million reward raises pressure on the manhunt
The government’s pursuit of Dela Rosa intensified after the Department of the Interior and Local Government announced a ₱50-million reward for information that would lead to his arrest.
Interior Secretary Remulla announced the bounty at Camp Crame on October 26, 2026, as authorities stepped up efforts to locate the senator.
Remulla also described Dela Rosa as armed and dangerous and called on him to surrender.
The DILG said a dedicated task force had been organized under PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Lieutenant General Wilson Joseph Lopez to oversee the search and coordinate operational efforts.
Authorities have also urged individuals who may be helping conceal the senator to cooperate with law enforcement.
However, the reward announcement does not mean authorities have already confirmed Dela Rosa’s exact location.
The PNP has continued to receive calls and information through dedicated hotlines, but tips must undergo verification before they can be treated as reliable leads.
Where is Bato dela Rosa?
Dela Rosa has remained out of public view since leaving the Senate complex in Pasay City in May 2026.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government previously claimed that the senator was hiding somewhere in Mindanao under the protection of an armed and powerful group.
However, authorities have not publicly identified the alleged group or independently established the senator’s precise location.
The PNP has maintained that Dela Rosa remains in the Philippines, citing information from the Bureau of Immigration.
Police tracker teams have been reorganized, and dedicated task groups have been established at national and regional levels to pursue the senator.
Authorities have also said they are examining possible routes that could be used to evade arrest.
Despite these efforts, no confirmed arrest had been announced in the latest reports available as of November 5.
PNP rejects claims of a shoot-to-kill order
As the manhunt intensified, social media posts and political discussions also raised concerns about whether police had been ordered to shoot Dela Rosa during an arrest operation.
The PNP rejected those claims.
On November 3, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said no shoot-to-kill order had been issued against the senator.
Nartatez likewise stressed that the police organization does not subscribe to a shoot-to-kill approach when implementing arrest warrants.
He said police operations must respect due process, human rights and the rule of law, with maximum restraint and proportionality guiding enforcement actions.
The clarification came after Cagayan de Oro City Representative Lordan Suan denied a viral quotation falsely attributed to him that supposedly called for a shoot-to-kill resolution against Dela Rosa.
Suan said he never made the statement and reiterated his support for due process.
The PNP’s position is clear: authorities are pursuing an arrest, not a license to use unlawful force.
Ping Lacson says Dela Rosa must face trial without bloodshed
The growing controversy has also prompted Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to clarify his position on the government’s efforts to arrest his former police subordinate.
Lacson said his call for due process should not be interpreted as an attempt to shield Dela Rosa from accountability.
Instead, he argued that the senator should be brought before the ICC to answer the allegations without exposing police officers, civilians or other people to unnecessary violence.
Lacson emphasized that due process is a constitutional right that applies regardless of the seriousness of the accusations.
He also discussed the importance of allowing Dela Rosa to seek appropriate legal remedies before any transfer to The Hague.
His remarks highlight a key distinction in the ongoing debate: supporting due process does not necessarily mean opposing the enforcement of an arrest warrant.
Why is the ICC pursuing Bato dela Rosa?
The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa under seal on November 6, 2025. The court publicly unsealed the warrant on May 11, 2026.
According to the ICC, Dela Rosa is accused of responsibility as an alleged indirect co-perpetrator of murder as a crime against humanity in connection with the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign.
The warrant identifies alleged killings involving at least 32 people between July 3, 2016, and the end of April 2018.
The period overlaps with Dela Rosa’s tenure as PNP chief under Duterte.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber said it found reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa may bear criminal responsibility for the alleged crimes. This is the legal threshold supporting the arrest warrant, not a final determination of guilt.
The broader ICC investigation covers alleged crimes committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.
Dela Rosa has challenged the legal basis for the proceedings and the government’s efforts to enforce the warrant. His legal team’s arguments must be distinguished from the ICC’s position and any eventual judicial determination.
The legal dispute over the Philippines and the ICC
The arrest effort has also revived debate over the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
The country’s withdrawal took effect on March 17, 2019. However, the ICC maintains that it can exercise jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member.
The Philippine government’s handling of the warrant has been the subject of legal and political debate.
In May 2026, the Supreme Court rejected Dela Rosa’s request for temporary legal protection intended to prevent his arrest. That denial did not, by itself, resolve every possible legal question surrounding the ICC’s jurisdiction or the merits of the allegations.
Malacañang has maintained that the warrant is valid, while the senator’s legal camp has continued to challenge the government’s approach.
These competing positions explain why the arrest operation has become more than a routine police matter. It involves domestic legal procedures, international criminal accountability and questions about the Philippines’ obligations.
What happens next?
Nartatez’s latest statement sends a direct message to the PNP: the former chief’s influence and connections must not interfere with the enforcement of the arrest warrant.
Authorities say the nationwide manhunt remains active, with tracker teams pursuing leads and the ₱50-million reward intended to encourage information from the public.
But locating Dela Rosa is only part of the challenge. Police must also ensure that any arrest is carried out lawfully, with respect for human rights and without unnecessary violence.
The case is also testing public confidence in the police institution, particularly because the senator being pursued once occupied its highest leadership position.
For now, the PNP insists that no one is above the law.
But with Dela Rosa still out of public view, a ₱50-million reward on the table and his former police connections under scrutiny, one question remains: will the PNP finally locate its former chief—or will the manhunt become one of the most difficult enforcement operations in the country’s recent history?
