No TRO for Bato

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday did not grant the request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) sought by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in connection with reported efforts to enforce an alleged warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Instead, in a press briefer, the High Court said it directed the respondents to submit their comments on the urgent pleadings filed by Dela Rosa within a non-extendible period of 72 hours from receipt.

The SC also required the senator to file his reply within 72 hours after receiving the respondents’ comment, as it tackled consolidated urgent motions filed in the case involving former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Senator Dela Rosa.

“The Resolution shall be deemed served on the parties and their counsels and released once uploaded to eCourt PH and upon publication on the SC website,” the briefer stated.

It added that the directive is “without prejudice” to any interim or urgent relief the Court may later issue, including those requested by Dela Rosa, should circumstances warrant immediate judicial action.

“The SC held that this is without prejudice to the Court taking any interim or urgent measures as prayed for by Senator Dela Rosa, should it become necessary.”

In filing urgent manifestation dated 11 May 2026, Dela Rosa asked the SC to issue a TRO, writ of preliminary injunction, or status quo ante order (SQAO) to prevent his arrest, detention, or transfer without prior judicial authorization, following reports of an ICC arrest warrant linked to its drug war investigation.

The senator also questioned a subpoena issued by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which required him to appear at Camp Crame in relation to alleged extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Davao City police director.

On the same day, Dela Rosa filed a supplemental manifestation claiming that National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operatives attempted to block his entry into the Senate session hall and that former Senator Antonio  Trillanes IV presented what he said was a copy of the ICC warrant.

Dela Rosa sought a TRO or SQAO to stop the NBI and Trillanes from arresting or detaining him or from serving any foreign-issued warrant or related document.

Dela Rosa, who is currently under the protective custody of the Senate, publicly urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not to allow his transfer to The Hague, Netherlands.