Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, humingi proteksyon mula Senado laban posibleng ICC arrest warrant sa kanya
- Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has expressed his intention to seek protection from the Senate in case an ICC warrant for him is issued
- In a report by CDN Digital, quoting a phone interview with members of the media, Sen. Bato revealed his plans in requesting Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to accord him such protection against the ICC
- His intention to request senate protection comes amidst the ongoing proceedings by the international tribunal against those it perceived as key people in the bloody drug war of the past administration
- It can be recalled that Sen. Bato was nowhere to be found when the arrest warrant for former President Rodrigo Duterte was served last March 11, 2025
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Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has announced his intention to seek the Senate’s protection in the event of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Source: Facebook
Dela Rosa, who previously served as the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief during former President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, plans to request that Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero shield him from potential ICC custody.
The senator’s intention comes amidst the ongoing legal proceedings against Duterte, who is currently facing allegations of crimes against humanity related to his administration's anti-drug campaign.
Sen. Bato, as the former chief enforcer of the campaign, is also among those accused of human rights violations by families of drug war victims.
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In a report by CDN Digital, quoting a phone interview with reporters, Sen. Bato expressed his intent to discuss the matter with Escudero as soon as possible.
He emphasized his hope that the Senate President would exercise his authority to protect him while the Senate is in session.
“Hanggat kaya ng Senate President na kupkupin muna ako na hindi muna niya ako i-surrender kung may warrant of arrest na at may session kami. I hope respetuhin din siya ng executive branch of government kasi meron naman yang mga ganon na protocol,” Sen. Bato stated.
The senator's request is rooted in the constitutional privilege afforded to members of Congress.
Section 11, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution grants senators and members of the House of Representatives immunity from arrest for offenses punishable by no more than six years imprisonment while Congress is in session.
The Senate website further elaborates on this privilege, stating that it is intended to ensure the representation of constituents by their elected officials.
“These privileges are thus secured not with the intention of protecting the members against prosecutors for their own benefit, but to support the rights of the people, by enabling their representatives to execute the function of their office without fear of prosecution, civil or criminal,” the Senate website explains.
Dela Rosa's move highlights the complex legal and political landscape surrounding the ICC's investigation.
Sen. President Escudero has yet to comment or issue a statement regarding the request of Sen. Bato.
Ronald Dela Rosa, more popularly known by his nickname Bato, is a Filipino politician and retired police officer who is currently serving as a Senator of the Philippine Republic since 2019. Sen. Bato was born on January 21, 1962. He served under former president Rodrigo Duterte as the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from July 1, 2016 to April 19, 2018. He was the one who oversaw the government's anti-drug campaign.After retiring from the PNP, Bato served as Director General of the Bureau of Corrections from April 30 to October 12, 2018.
A day after former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested, Senator Bato broke his silence and issued a statement supporting the former leader. Many have been wondering as to the whereabouts of the senator, who was the PNP Chief when FPRRD was still the president. Many perceive Sen. Bato as the chief implementor of FPRRD’s war on illegal substances. His statement came amid the recent ruling of the Supreme Court, denying his petition for a temporary restraining order or TRO against the arrest warrant issued by the ICC.
It can be recalled that prior to his issuing a statement, Sen. Bato was nowhere to be found during the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte last March 11. In a report by TV 5's 'Frontline Pilipinas,' they were trying to contact the senator but all his lines were out of reach. The report also added that, usually, getting an interview or statement from Bato was easy, but they unfortunately didn't know the current whereabouts of the senator. It can be recalled that he was also in the ICC complaint for crimes against humanity since he was the PNP chief during the "War on Drug" campaign of the former president.
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