DOJ has not seen copy of ICC warrant vs Bato 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday afternoon said it has not received or seen any copy of an alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant reportedly involving Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. 

“The Department has not seen or received a copy of any alleged warrant,” DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez told reporters, responding to reports circulating in connection with the supposed ICC action.

The clarification came after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV brought to the Senate what he described as an ICC-issued arrest warrant for Dela Rosa. 

Trillanes was reportedly accompanied by personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during the attempted enforcement on Monday.

However, the situation quickly turned chaotic after Dela Rosa resisted the move, claiming he “wrestled” with those attempting to arrest him. The senator later appeared at the Senate session hall with an injured finger, which he said resulted from the alleged altercation.

Dela Rosa, along with Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, has been previously tagged in ICC proceedings as alleged co-perpetrators in cases linked to extrajudicial killings during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

In a separate development, Dela Rosa’s legal team filed an urgent motion before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking protection against what they described as a “coordinated, three-layered enforcement strategy” involving possible ICC processes, Interpol mechanisms, and domestic actions.

In a statement, Torreon and Partners Law Firm argued that no Philippine court-issued warrant exists and questioned the legality of the government’s reliance on international notices or subpoenas. 

The camp also sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) to block any arrest, detention, or possible transfer abroad without judicial authorization.

The lawyers cited a series of government actions, including the reported preparation of a 10,000-man Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) task force, the issuance of a CIDG subpoena requiring Dela Rosa’s appearance at Camp Crame on 14 May 2026, and public references to possible enforcement through an alleged ICC warrant, Interpol Red Notice, or diffusion notice.

The lawyers argued that none of these mechanisms that are individually or collectively can replace a warrant issued by a Philippine judge based on an independent finding of probable cause, as required under the Constitution.

They further challenged the legality of the CIDG subpoena, claiming it is “void on its face,” and cited statements allegedly made by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla that Dela Rosa had not been personally investigated prior to the issuance of the subpoena, which they said was triggered by reports of a possible international notice.

“This is fatal. A subpoena cannot be used as a convenient pretext to physically bring a person to Camp Crame while the Government awaits a possible international warrant or notice,” the statement read, calling it a “surrogate arrest mechanism.”

The legal team also raised concern that the subpoena compels Dela Rosa to personally appear and submit sworn statements without a judicial warrant, warning it could amount to compelled self-incrimination or pre-positioning for foreign custody.

Invoking the principle of complementarity, the petition also asked the Supreme Court to issue a Writ of Prohibition against the enforcement of the CIDG subpoena and to clarify constitutional limits on cooperation with international criminal processes.

Dela Rosa’s lawyers stressed the urgency of the case, citing past developments involving former President Rodrigo Duterte as an example of how quickly a subject could be transferred outside Philippine jurisdiction once foreign custody processes are activated.

“We therefore respectfully and humbly plead before the Supreme Court to act now, before that window closes again,” the statement said.

The Supreme Court has yet to act on the motion as of press time.