Philippine Senator Panfilo Lacson said on October 25, 2026, that he hoped any Dela Rosa arrest would be carried out peacefully, as authorities pursued his fellow senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa under an International Criminal Court warrant.

Key Takeaways

  • The Philippine government announced a 50-million-peso reward, and police gave dela Rosa one week to surrender.
  • Lacson said dela Rosa was entitled to due process and questioned the rationale for the reward.
  • Other senators also called for a peaceful resolution.

Dela Rosa arrest effort and ICC warrant

The ICC issued the warrant in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. Dela Rosa went into hiding late last year after learning of the warrant.

He appeared briefly at the Senate on May 11 to vote for Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, but fled after a shooting incident on the premises on May 13.

The government announced the reward on October 23, and the Philippine National Police gave him one week to surrender. Dela Rosa’s lawyers questioned the reward’s legality.

Senators urge a peaceful resolution

Lacson, a former police colleague of dela Rosa, said that whatever accusations the senator faced, he was entitled to due process. He also questioned why authorities would offer a reward if they already knew where dela Rosa was, and cautioned against publicly disclosing reliable intelligence about the manhunt.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian called for a safe arrest without violence, while saying the government must assert its authority following reports that an armed group in Mindanao was protecting dela Rosa. The Senate minority bloc urged the administration to speak with his lawyers about a peaceful resolution.

Impeachment trial question

Lacson rejected speculation that the reward and surrender ultimatum were intended to prevent dela Rosa from voting in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. He cited an impeachment court ruling that senators beyond its coercive power would not be counted when determining the two-thirds vote required for conviction.

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