Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla announced Friday a 50 million Philippine peso reward (approximately $786,000) for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.
Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC issued a confidential arrest warrant against dela Rosa in November 2025 before judges unsealed the warrant in May 2026. The chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that dela Rosa bears criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator for the crime against humanity of murder under Articles 7(1)(a) and 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute, stemming from his oversight of the nationwide anti-narcotics campaign as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief from July 2016 to April 2018.
Upon assuming command on July 1, 2016, dela Rosa issued PNP Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016, establishing the nationwide anti-drug enforcement framework known as Project Double Barrel. The directive split police operations into Oplan Tokhang (Operational Plan Tokhang), the anti-illegal drugs campaign by the PNP which formed the core of the country’s “war on drugs”, which mandated house-to-house village clearance sweeps targeting low-level suspects, and Operation High Value Target, which pursued prominent syndicate figures.
According to ICC prosecution filings and a landmark UN human rights report, the campaign operated through informal cash rewards for the “neutralization” of individuals on unverified watchlists, routine falsification of self-defense claims, and the systematic planting of firearms during police raids. While official government records acknowledge over 6,000 deaths during police operations, human rights monitors estimate the death toll reached 30,000 civilians.
Dela Rosa has remained in hiding since May, when the Philippine Department of Justice ordered law enforcement to execute the ICC warrant shortly after he fled the Senate building. Lawyers for dela Rosa challenged the reward and arrest order Saturday, arguing in filings before the Supreme Court of the Philippines that enforcing an international warrant without a domestic judicial order violates due process under Article III, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
His defense counsel contended that Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9851 contains permissive rather than mandatory language regarding the surrender of suspects to international tribunals. Presidential Communications Office officials rejected the argument, stating that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered dela Rosa’s capture under domestic law and Interpol obligations.
The manhunt follows the March 2025 surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces identical charges under Articles 7(1)(a) and 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute and remains in ongoing pre-trial detention in The Hague after Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed all charges in April 2026. Although Duterte withdrew the Philippines effective March 2019, the ICC retained jurisdiction under Article 127(2) over prior crimes, a rule affirmed in Pangilinan v. Cayetano. Article 127(2) explicitly protects ongoing investigations from being extinguished by state withdrawal.
The Supreme Court of the Philippines confirmed that treaty rescission cannot retroactively erase accrued state obligations. Once transferred to The Hague, dela Rosa will face a confirmation of charges hearing under Articles 60 and 61.
