Amnesty International Australia

05/15/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/14/2026 18:17

Philippines: Authorities must arrest former police chief amid alarming obstruction of justice

15 May 2026

In response to reports that former police chief Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa has fled the Philippines Senate building allowing him to evade an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, Ritz Lee Santos III, Executive Director of Amnesty International Philippines, said:

"We are deeply alarmed at the obstruction of justice and chaotic scenes witnessed at the Philippines Senate.

"Ronald dela Rosa's position as Senator offers him no special protection from an ICC arrest warrant, neither under domestic nor international law. It is hugely concerning that fellow Senators and others appear to have assisted him in evading arrest and in delaying the execution of the arrest warrant - effectively facilitating his escape for now.

"It is hugely concerning that fellow Senators and others appear to have assisted him in evading arrest and in delaying the execution of the arrest warrant - effectively facilitating his escape for now."

Ritz Lee Santos III, Executive Director of Amnesty International Philippines

"Despite seeking to distance themselves from these events, President Marcos and relevant agencies remain ultimately responsible for ensuring Dela Rosa's arrest.

"Dela Rosa held a key role in the 'war on drugs' under former President Duterte, is a clear flight risk and appears intent on avoiding accountability. He should be promptly located, arrested and surrendered to the ICC to answer allegations of crimes against humanity.

"The place for Dela Rosa to challenge his case and the crimes against humanity he is alleged to have committed is in The Hague, in impartial and independent trial proceedings. Political authority must not place anyone above the law. In the interest of justice for victims, survivors and their families, those alleged to have committed grave crimes must be held to account, no matter how long it takes."

Background

After a three-day standoff between law enforcement and Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa at the Philippines Senate, reports emerged that Bato left the Senate building at 2.30am local time on Thursday 14 May 2026. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

The night before, gunshots were fired inside Senate premises while some Senators and media were still inside. There remain conflicting reports on what led to the shooting. Various senior administration representatives, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, denied that there were attempts to execute an arrest warrant.

On 11 May, the ICC confirmed it had issued an arrest warrant for the sitting Senator. The warrant states that the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber found there were "reasonable grounds to believe" Dela Rosa had committed the crime against humanity of murder, citing incidents in which 32 people were killed between 2016 to 2018.

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Amnesty International Australia published this content on May 15, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 15, 2026 at 00:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]