Philippines Offers $786,000 Bounty for Fugitive Senator Wanted by ICC

Legal counsel for Senator Ronald dela Rosa argues that the Philippine government lacks the authority to enforce an international arrest warrant that no local judge has adopted. Setting that legal objection aside, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has officially designated the sitting lawmaker as the country's most wanted fugitive.[3]

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced a 50 million peso ($786,000) bounty for Dela Rosa's capture on Friday, declaring the former national police chief "armed and dangerous." The government has issued a strict one-week ultimatum for his surrender, drawing the massive reward from police intelligence funds.[2][3]

"Senator Bato mistook my gesture of negotiation as a sign of weakness," Remulla said during a press briefing at Camp Crame. "It's time for the gloves to come off. It's time to bring justice to his victims."[3]

The bounty marks a severe escalation in the state's approach to the fugitive senator, who has evaded authorities for months. Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. confirmed that tactical teams are now actively hunting Dela Rosa, warning that operations will continue until he is apprehended.[3]

The Hague's warrant

The International Criminal Court unsealed its arrest warrant for Dela Rosa in May 2026, officially charging him with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors allege he acted as an "indirect co-conspirator" in the extrajudicial murder of at least 32 people between July 2016 and April 2018.[1][2]

As the first police chief appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, Dela Rosa served as the primary architect and enforcer of a brutal nationwide anti-drug crackdown. Following his retirement from the police force, he was appointed as a top prisons official before winning a Senate seat in 2019.[1]

The scale of the violence overseen by Dela Rosa remains highly contested, forming the core of the international prosecution's case. While national police records acknowledge over 6,000 deaths during the campaign, human rights organizations estimate the actual toll reached up to 30,000, citing widespread extrajudicial executions.[1]

The ICC warrant, originally issued under seal in November 2025, concluded that Dela Rosa made essential contributions to the systemic killings. Both Duterte and Dela Rosa have consistently denied authorizing extrajudicial executions, claiming that police only shot suspects who violently resisted arrest.[1][2]

The international tribunal's investigation spans a broad timeline, covering drug-related killings from 2011 to 2019. This period includes Duterte's tenure as mayor of the southern city of Davao, where the aggressive policing tactics were first developed and tested before being deployed nationally.[1]

A tactical manhunt

Dela Rosa has remained in hiding since May 11, when he briefly appeared at the Philippine Senate. His unexpected arrival triggered a tense standoff as security guards and investigators attempted to detain him, but the senator successfully slipped out after shots were fired.[2]

Following his escape from the Senate building, Dela Rosa vanished from public view, prompting mounting criticism over the government's inability to execute the international warrant. The newly formed police task force, led by Deputy Chief Lt. Gen. Wilson Lopez, is utilizing both intelligence operatives and heavily armed tactical teams to locate the senator.[1][3]

The 50 million peso reward elevates Dela Rosa above all other domestic targets, making him the highest-valued fugitive in Philippine history. The figure easily surpasses the 20 million peso bounty previously placed on gambling tycoon Charlie Ang, who is wanted in connection with the kidnapping and killing of cockfight enthusiasts.[3]

"We have given him all the courtesy that could be afforded as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines," Remulla stated. "But he has shown nothing but cowardice by going into and remaining in hiding."[1][2]

Dela Rosa's legal team immediately questioned the legitimacy of the government's manhunt. Attorney Israelito Torreon argued that the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 and emphasized that no domestic judge has examined or adopted the international tribunal's arrest warrant.[3]

Extradition objectives

Despite the legal objections, the Marcos administration has firmly committed to cooperating with the international court. Remulla stated that authorities are actively monitoring the fugitive senator in the country's southern provinces and are negotiating to prevent a potentially deadly clash.[1]

The pursuit of Dela Rosa accelerates as the International Criminal Court prepares for its highest-profile prosecution of the Philippine drug war. Duterte, who was arrested on an international warrant at Manila's airport last year, is scheduled to stand trial at The Hague beginning November 30.[1][2]

With the former president already in custody in The Netherlands, securing Dela Rosa represents the final major objective for international prosecutors. Philippine officials have confirmed that if the tactical teams successfully capture the senator, he will be immediately extradited to face the tribunal.[1]

As the one-week ultimatum ticks down, the Philippine National Police has deployed additional intelligence assets across the south, where Dela Rosa maintains deep political and operational ties. The coming days will test whether the state's financial leverage can overcome the senator's entrenched regional loyalties.[1][3]