A former Philippine national police chief is now the subject of an international arrest warrant and a domestic manhunt after evading capture during a confrontation at the senate in Manila. Ronald dela Rosa, 64, who led the national police during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court related to the government’s anti-drug campaign. The campaign resulted in thousands of deaths, with official figures exceeding 6,000 and activist estimates reaching as high as 30,000. Dela Rosa, known by the nickname “Bato,” maintained close ties with Duterte from their time in Davao, where he is accused of helping recruit members for a group linked to extrajudicial killings. After Duterte’s election in 2016, dela Rosa was appointed to implement the policy nationwide and publicly encouraged aggressive tactics against suspected drug offenders. He has denied involvement in unlawful killings. Last week, dela Rosa appeared at the senate to support a vote favoring Vice President Sara Duterte. He was pursued by agents attempting to execute the arrest warrant but evaded them and remained inside the building for several days under protective custody granted by allies. The standoff ended when gunfire erupted and dela Rosa left the premises undetected. The justice secretary has since directed law enforcement to apprehend him, describing him as a fugitive. His current location remains unknown, and questions persist about how he exited the secured facility.
