Key facts
- A 50-million-peso bounty has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
- Dela Rosa faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged crimes related to the war on drugs.
- The Senate minority bloc offered to facilitate talks between the government and Dela Rosa.
- Dela Rosa's lawyers questioned the legal basis for the reward, stating it lacked a Philippine warrant.
The Philippine government has placed a 50-million-peso bounty on fugitive Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who served as national police chief under former president Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged crimes related to the Duterte administration's war on drugs. The bounty has raised questions about the Marcos administration's capacity to enforce the law against prominent political figures, with some analysts warning it could make Manila appear weak. The Senate minority bloc has offered to mediate a peaceful surrender, while Dela Rosa's lawyers have challenged the legal basis of the reward, asserting it lacks a Philippine court order.