Philippine senator linked to Duterte drug war evades arrest after ICC confirms warrant

Philippine authorities said they would not arrest, for now, a lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged role in the drug war waged by former president Rodrigo Duterte. The arrest attempt on May 11, 2026, capped a lengthy Senate stand-off between authorities and the senator, Ronald Dela Rosa. Also known as “Bato”, Dela Rosa served as police chief and Duterte’s top enforcer during the bloody drug crackdown. He will be treated as if in the custody of the Senate, the head of the National Bureau of Investigation said after Dela Rosa took refuge in the legislative building.