MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not to enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against him and send him to The Hague in the Netherlands.

“Huwag niya akong ipadala sa The Hague (I appeal to him not to send me to The Hague),” Dela Rosa said when asked about his message to the President.

“Hindi natin alam, pagdating ng araw, ikaw rin Mr. President haharap sa ganito sitwasyon…. Malalaman mo, you will feel what I feel right now (We don’t know, one day, you might face the same hurdle, Mr. President. You will know, you will feel what I feel right now),” Dela Rosa added.

The former Philippine National Police chief, who first implemented former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, is the subject of an ICC warrant after it was found that there is substantial grounds to believe that he is allegedly criminally liable for crimes against humanity.

The all-women judges of Pre-Trial Chamber I, the same jurists who ordered former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest in 2025, publicized a November 2025 warrant against Dela Rosa on Monday, May 11.

“Very low – the lowest point of my life,” said Dela Rosa when asked about how he feels amid his possible arrest.

Dela Rosa said in 2025 that he was not afraid of an ICC warrant, adding that if he were arrested, it would allow him to take care of the former president in the ICC facility.

“I can join the old man and hopefully, makatulong ako doon sa kanya, maalagaan ko siya doon (I can join the old man and hopefully, I can help him there, take care of him there).”

Until Monday, May 11, Dela Rosa had been absent from the Senate for months after Justice secretary-turned-Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said an ICC warrant had already been issued against the senator.

He appeared only on Monday to push for Senator Tito Sotto’s ouster and support the election of his ally, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate president.

He showed up only on Monday to push for Senator Tito Sotto’s ouster and to support the election of his ally, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, as the new Senate president.

As it turned out, Cayetano’s election also benefits Dela Rosa because Cayetano said he would not allow Dela Rosa’s arrest within Senate premises, citing precedents disallowing arrests within the legislative building..

However, several former lawmakers and experts said such courtesy extended to senators has limits. It remains unclear how long Dela Rosa will stay at the Senate.

“Hindi ko alam eh (I don’t know),” said the former PNP chief who is allegedly involved in war on drugs and Davao Death Squad killings “I have no plans…. God’s plan is superior to everyone’s plan.” – Rappler.com