Where is Bato now?
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa vanished from public view again after slipping out of the Senate complex amid gunfire, lockdowns, and political chaos, deepening questions over whether Philippine authorities can, or will, enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against one of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s closest allies.
Days after resurfacing dramatically inside the Senate following months in hiding, Dela Rosa now faces a far more uncertain reality that the ICC has listed him as “at large.”
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has placed him under immigration watch, and law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the violent standoff that preceded his disappearance.
READ: Bato before the ICC: From ‘Top Cop’ to fugitive senator
Dela Rosa leaves Senate after tense four-day standoff
Dela Rosa reportedly left the Senate premises around 2:30 a.m. on May 14, ending a high-tension standoff that transformed the legislature into the center of a national political and security crisis.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano later confirmed that Dela Rosa voluntarily departed “for everyone’s safety” and no longer remained under Senate “protective custody.”
Reports said Senator Robin Padilla accompanied Dela Rosa when he left the complex.
His departure followed nearly four days of heightened tensions after he resurfaced at the Senate on May 11 following six months of limited public appearances linked to the ICC warrant.
The senator’s reappearance quickly altered the Senate’s political dynamics.
With Dela Rosa physically present during voting, Duterte-aligned lawmakers secured enough support to unseat Senate President Tito Sotto and install Cayetano as the chamber’s new leader.
Immediately after assuming the post, Cayetano and allied senators placed Dela Rosa under what they described as “protective custody” to shield him from possible arrest.
READ: Bato dela Rosa faces arrest if he tries to leave PH says DOJ
Critics, however, accused the Senate leadership of obstructing law enforcement operations and transforming the institution into a sanctuary for a wanted individual.
Gunfire, lockdown deepen mystery
The situation escalated dramatically on the evening of May 13 after Dela Rosa claimed authorities planned to arrest him inside the Senate.
Hours before the incident, Dela Rosa livestreamed on Facebook and alleged that agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) prepared to move against him.
Witnesses later reported seeing armed men wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets near Senate elevators and restricted hallways.
At around 7:48 p.m., gunshots erupted inside the Senate complex, triggering panic among lawmakers and employees and forcing authorities to lock down the building.
Cayetano later streamed a Facebook Live video claiming the Senate had come “under attack.”
Government agencies, however, denied ordering any assault operation inside Senate premises.
Authorities continue to investigate who fired the shots, whether the gunfire formed part of a diversionary tactic, and whether unidentified armed individuals entered restricted areas during the chaos.
Investigators also arrested an NBI driver identified as Mel Oragon in connection with the incident, although authorities have yet to establish the full circumstances surrounding the operation.
Dela Rosa’s camp denied allegations that the shooting helped facilitate his escape.
ICC lists Dela Rosa as ‘at large’
Following his departure from the Senate, the ICC updated Dela Rosa’s status to “at large” on its wanted list.
The tribunal accuses Dela Rosa, former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), of acting as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in crimes against humanity involving murder and attempted murder tied to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign from 2011 to 2019.
Prosecutors alleged that Dela Rosa helped operationalize “Project Double Barrel,” the nationwide anti-drug campaign launched shortly after Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016.
READ: Robin Padilla is person of interest in search for Bato dela Rosa
The ICC also cited public statements from Dela Rosa that allegedly encouraged violence against suspected drug offenders and promoted impunity among police officers involved in anti-drug operations.
His legal team attempted to secure a temporary restraining order from the Philippine Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the warrant.
The high court, however, did not grant immediate relief and instead directed the executive branch to respond to the petition.
Government tightens monitoring
As questions surrounding Dela Rosa’s whereabouts intensified, the Philippine government moved to monitor his movements more closely.
The DOJ issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against the senator to alert authorities should he attempt to leave the country.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida warned that authorities would immediately arrest Dela Rosa if he tried to flee abroad.
READ: Bato dela Rosa presses TRO bid after latest disappearing act
Vida also described any attempt to evade authorities as a “mockery of justice.”
Despite earlier confusion among agencies regarding cooperation with the ICC, the DOJ later confirmed it would comply with legal processes related to the tribunal’s request once domestic remedies conclude.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police and the NBI have not publicly disclosed any active operation to locate or arrest Dela Rosa.
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