INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed on Wednesday that Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was last known to be somewhere in Mindanao.
The disclosure comes amid growing public attention over dela Rosa’s whereabouts, as the former police chief faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the administration’s war on drugs.
According to reports, dela Rosa effectively went into hiding shortly after leaving the Senate premises in Pasay City last May. Since then, his location has remained largely undisclosed, prompting questions from the public and the media. Remulla’s statement marks one of the first official confirmations placing the senator in Mindanao, though no specific area or city was identified.
The development further underscores the legal and political complexities surrounding the ICC proceedings in the Philippines. Dela Rosa stands accused alongside former president Rodrigo Duterte of being part of a broad conspiracy to commit crimes against humanity through the drug war killings.
The Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police have both stated they have no official information regarding any arrest, leaving the status of the ICC warrant and dela Rosa’s continued movements in question.
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