The International Criminal Court (ICC) denied reports that it issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, the former police commander who led Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, Reuters reported.
Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he received information from a Justice Department official claiming that the ICC had ordered Dela Rosa’s arrest. The Department of Justice later clarified that it was still verifying the information. “We have not received a copy of any warrant,” spokesperson Polo Martinez said.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah rejected the claim and reminded reporters that official news from the court appears only on verified ICC channels.
Dela Rosa headed the national police during Duterte’s controversial campaign, which killed thousands of suspected drug offenders. Human rights groups accuse security forces of carrying out extrajudicial killings under his command.
Duterte himself was arrested in March and taken to The Hague under a separate ICC warrant tied to the same campaign. His lawyers have appealed, arguing that the ICC lacks jurisdiction because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019.
Legal pressure mounts amid conflicting reports
Prosecutors have linked Dela Rosa to the case through statements he made while leading the police. In April, he confirmed receiving a communication from the ICC about the killings.
Both Dela Rosa and Duterte have asked the Philippine Supreme Court to stop the government from cooperating with the ICC investigation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office said it is still verifying whether any warrant exists.
Ombudsman Remulla added that if the report proves accurate, extradition procedures approved by the Supreme Court will apply.
