ICC Unveils Arrest Warrant for Philippine Senator Tied to Duterte’s Drug War
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made public an arrest warrant for Ronald Marapon dela Rosa, a prominent Philippine senator and former national police chief. The warrant, initially issued in November, accuses him of crimes against humanity, specifically the murder of at least 32 individuals. These alleged crimes occurred between July 2016 and the end of April 2018 during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.
Dela Rosa is closely associated with Duterte, having been a key figure in the aggressive anti-drugs campaign that resulted in numerous extrajudicial killings. Duterte, dela Rosa, and other police officials have consistently denied that these killings were authorized, claiming that the suspects were killed after posing threats to law enforcement.
The ICC’s warrant indicates that judges have reviewed the evidence submitted by prosecutors and concluded that dela Rosa made “essential contributions” to the alleged murders, categorizing him as an “indirect co-perpetrator.”
On Monday, dela Rosa unexpectedly appeared at the Philippines Senate amidst a new investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings. Despite efforts by National Bureau of Investigation officers to apprehend him, dela Rosa managed to enter the plenary hall, seeking refuge among his fellow senators.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes presented the warrant to the media in Manila, with the ICC confirming its authenticity.
Dela Rosa, who was the national police chief during Duterte’s administration, played a central role in the anti-drug operations that led to thousands of deaths, primarily targeting minor drug offenders. Philippine police officials have summoned him to participate in an inquiry regarding his involvement in these actions.
Maria Elena Vignoli, a senior international justice counsel at Human Rights Watch, expressed support for the ICC’s warrant, describing it as “another blow to the wall of impunity protecting those who allegedly committed atrocities during the Philippines’ murderous ‘drug war.’” She urged Philippine authorities to promptly detain dela Rosa and extradite him to The Hague.
In a related development, former President Duterte was arrested in March last year and detained in the Netherlands on similar charges of crimes against humanity stemming from his anti-drug campaigns. Despite denying the allegations, judges have deemed the evidence sufficient for him to stand trial, although no trial date has been set. Duterte has missed several court appearances due to health issues.
The large-scale killings of mostly impoverished drug suspects, which began during Duterte’s tenure as mayor of Davao and continued through his presidency, have drawn condemnation from human rights organizations and Western governments, including the United States.
