Ronald Dela Rosa given seven days to yield as Philippine authorities issue bounty

Philippine authorities have issued a one-week ultimatum for Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa to turn himself in, placing a 50-million-peso bounty on information that leads to his apprehension.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla announced the measures during a press briefing on Friday, designating the fugitive lawmaker as armed and dangerous. Remulla stated that previous efforts to negotiate had been exhausted, accusing Dela Rosa of cowardice for evading law enforcement rather than answering the allegations against him.

Dela Rosa has been evading capture since May, following the public disclosure of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I had approved the warrant in November of the previous year, identifying the senator as a co-perpetrator in crimes linked to the anti-narcotics campaign carried out under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa served as the national police chief tasked with executing the crackdown, which human rights groups estimate resulted in nearly 30,000 deaths.

The senator reemerged briefly at the Senate in mid-May to participate in leadership votes before taking refuge inside the legislative complex. His stay culminated in a nighttime shooting incident reportedly involving the Senate sergeant-at-arms, Mao Aplasca. Hours after the disturbance, Dela Rosa slipped out of the premises alongside fellow lawmaker Robin Padilla. Aplasca was later removed from his post by the Ombudsman, while Padilla faces legal action for alleged obstruction of justice.

A dedicated police task force under the leadership of Police Lieutenant General Wilson Joseph Lopez has been tasked with tracking Dela Rosa down. Officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government noted that law enforcement agencies are currently assessing tip-offs regarding potential sightings across several regions, including Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Western Mindanao.

Police leadership stressed that units are fully equipped and prepared to handle any scenario during the senator's capture, whether the encounter concludes peacefully or through an armed engagement. The latest push follows earlier arrest directives handed down to both the police and the National Bureau of Investigation after the senator fled public view earlier this year.