The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) has expressed alarm over reports of an arrest warrant allegedly issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa.
In February, the ICC named Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief under the Duterte administration, as one of the alleged co-perpetrators in the case against former president, relating to alleged crimes against humanity of murder connected to the drug war.
“The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) views with great alarm the reports it has received regarding a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for one of its ranking members, incumbent Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa,” it said in a statement.
If this be true, then it is condemnable as another instance of severe derogation of our sovereignty and independence as a nation,” it added.
PDP Laban criticized what it described as the Marcos administration’s alleged willingness to cooperate with the ICC despite the withdrawal, accusing it of selective enforcement driven by political interests.
“The continued kowtowing by the Marcos administration to the ICC is most execrable,” the statement read, urging the government to assert what it called national self-determination and reject foreign jurisdiction.
The Philippines formally withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019 under the Duterte administration, a move that ended its membership in the ICC. However, the court has maintained that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a member.
The party warned against what it described as a precedent of surrendering Filipino citizens to international courts, saying such actions could undermine constitutional protections and domestic legal processes.
The party described Dela Rosa as an elected official representing millions of Filipinos and said his rights “should not be lightly violated” for political expediency.
“Sen. Bato was elected by tens of millions of Filipinos to act as the voice of their dreams and aspirations in the Senate,” it said.
The statement comes amid repeated clarifications from government agencies that no formal arrest order has been received.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through Secretary Jonvic Remulla, earlier said the reports remain unverified and based on hearsay, stressing that no official document has been transmitted to any Philippine agency.
“Until I see the official copy, it is hearsay,” Remulla said.
He clarified that instead of any ICC-related arrest warrant, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is set to issue a subpoena against Dela Rosa in connection with an ongoing domestic investigation.
Remulla said the CIDG subpoena will require the senator to appear before investigators, but officials emphasized that this is not an arrest warrant and is separate from any ICC-related claims.
“I repeat, this is not an arrest warrant but a subpoena,” Remulla said in a press briefing on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the ICC has also directly addressed the circulating claims, saying there are no publicly issued arrest warrants related to developments in the Philippines.
“No public arrest warrants have been issued in relation to the situation in the Philippines,” an ICC spokesperson said, adding that official information can only be verified through its formal communications channels.
Officials have urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, noting that only official documents transmitted through proper legal channels would trigger enforcement procedures.