After being absent in the Senate session for months, Sen. Bato dela Rosa resurfaced in the Senate on May 11, 2026, taking part in the leadership change inside the chamber. Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan/PNA.
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for protection after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed an arrest warrant against him.
Dela Rosa made the call while under the Senate’s protective custody, joining supporters through a video link during a gathering outside the Senate building in Pasay City.
He addressed the President directly, saying he was a Filipino constituent and expressing hope that he would also be afforded protection, noting there was no personal conflict between them.
“President PBBM, I am a Filipino. I am your constituent,” Dela Rosa said.
The senator said he wanted authorities to follow legal procedures, stressing that the ICC warrant should pass through Philippine courts to allow him to defend himself.
“Wala kang personal na galit sa akin, alam mo ’yan. Sana naman bilang iIlipino, protektahan mo rin ako,” the senator added.
He also urged the President to advise law enforcement agencies to comply with guidance issued by the Supreme Court regarding such matters.
Earlier, Dela Rosa’s camp asked the Supreme Court (SC) to issue a temporary restraining order to stop any arrest without a valid judicial warrant.
The ICC confirmed that the arrest warrant was issued in connection with its investigation into the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, where Dela Rosa served as Philippine National Police chief from 2016 to 2018.
Authorities earlier attempted to arrest the senator within the Senate premises, but he remained in the chamber’s custody and reportedly stayed inside Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s office, while officials said they would continue to respond to developments related to the case.