Remulla mum on possible ICC arrest for Bato dela Rosa

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla was mum on the possibility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) moving on a looming surprise arrest for Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, similar to the unexpected detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte under an Interpol alert.

“Wala pang arrest warrant, until we see it then there is none,” his office said when asked if the Department of Justice was preparing for such a move.

When pressed on contingency plans, Remulla replied bluntly: “Hindi pa namin pinag-uusapan…wala pa. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.”

The guarded response came as former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, fresh from a visit to The Hague, said ICC arrest warrants could be issued early next year against Dela Rosa and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. “‘Yung warrant mula sa ICC, ang ine-expect na lang natin ay dalawa. Isa kay Bato, isa para kay Bong Go,” he said.

For Dela Rosa, Duterte’s first police chief and architect of the former president's bloody war on drugs, the danger is immediate. Any trip abroad—for conferences, UN meetings, or leisure—could expose him to sudden arrest if an ICC order triggers Interpol enforcement.

The Senate could also face an unprecedented crisis. Parliamentary immunity does not shield lawmakers from ICC actions.

Sen. Dela Rosa could be a wanted man internationally while still attending sessions, raising questions about authority, procedure, and political fallout.

The move could fracture Duterte’s inner circle. Dela Rosa was his enforcer; Go, his gatekeeper. If warrants are issued, loyalty may crumble under pressure to testify in exchange for leniency.

Even without Philippine cooperation, the stigma of an ICC warrant would be damning, as Dela Rosa’s name would join officials worldwide wanted for crimes against humanity.

Dela Rosa, who earlier vowed to “die for Duterte,” now faces the prospect of becoming an international pariah.

The ICC prosecutors in a July pre-confirmation brief cited Dela Rosa’s vow to “scale up” the Davao model of killings, his signature on Tokhang directives, and his chilling statement: “Killings in the name of drugs. This is really about killings in the name of drugs.”