The Philippine government on Thursday ordered police to arrest a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his role in ex-President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug crackdown.
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who served as the nation’s police chief, was the enforcer of the drug war that killed thousands of people in the Philippines.
Dela Rosa is on the run after fleeing the senate building last week, hours after a shooting incident between government agents and senate security personnel.
“I would like to confirm that the Philippine law enforcement agencies are now tasked to effect the arrest of Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa,” Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida told reporters.
The ICC last week unsealed an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa, accused along with Duterte and other “co-perpetrators” of the crime against humanity of murder.
After a dramatic chase up the senate stairs on the same day, government agents who failed to arrest him later paused the effort as the senate leadership gave him sanctuary.
The Philippine Supreme Court’s interim ruling on May 20 denying the Philippine ex-police chief’s bid for a temporary restraining order means the ICC warrant can now be enforced, Vida added.
