Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. (left) and Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday gave Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who has been in hiding following the issuance of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, one week to surrender.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued the ultimatum after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier placed a P50 million bounty for the senator’s arrest.
“Sen. Bato dela Rosa has one week to surrender,” Nartatez said after a press briefing at Camp Crame.
“At pinaghahandaan natin yan,” added Nartatez.
(And we are preparing for that.)
Dela Rosa first disappeared and has been absent from the Senate since November 2025.
This follows reports of an ICC arrest, where he was named as a co-perpetrator in then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case in connection with the bloody war on drugs.
Dela Rosa was the Duterte administration’s national police chief from 2016 to 2018.
He resurfaced at the Senate on May 11, where he was given protective custody after casting his vote to elect Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.
He left the Senate building three days later and has been in hiding ever since.
Interior Sec. Jonvic Remulla previously said that an armed group is protecting the senator. He warned that arresting him may result in 10,000 deaths.
At a press briefing in Camp Crame earlier, Remulla tagged dela Rosa as armed and dangerous.
The PNP chief then said they are ready to implement either a peaceful or an armed confrontation in arresting the senator.
“Of course, we would like to have a peaceful resolution of whatever conflict, especially in the implementation of any warrant, whether a search warrant or an arrest warrant,” said Nartatez.
Nartatez further warned that anyone found helping the senator hide will face legal consequences.
