DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 May) – Any operation to enforce the order to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa will be carried out with “due process, the rule of law, and respect for human rights,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said in reaction to media reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against the lawmaker.

In a statement, Nartatez assured the police will only act upon lawful orders issued by competent authorities and in accordance with existing laws, rules, and procedures.

He said the police are coordinating with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other concerned government agencies to ensure that all actions remain consistent with established legal and operational protocols.

“The PNP assures the public that professionalism, prudence, maximum tolerance, and accountability shall guide all its actions at all times,” he said.

In a report by ABS-CBN News, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said he has no information yet on whether the ICC has released a warrant for Dela Rosa’s arrest.

But the secretary said they are preparing 10,000 police personnel to look for dela Rosa once they get hold of an arrest warrant for the senator.

MindaNews asked Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Davao, if they had received any directive from the PNP national office regarding Dela Rosa’s arrest, but she has yet to reply as of 6:00 p.m. Saturday.

Dela Rosa has been absent from sessions in the Senate since November 2025, following the announcement by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla that an arrest warrant had been issued for his role in the bloody “war on drugs” during the time of Rodrigo R. Duterte as president and as mayor of Davao City.

Duterte is set to face trial after the ICC confirmed all the charges against him in a decision handed down last month.

Dela Rosa served as director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) from January 2012 to October 2013 and PNP chief from July 2016 to April 2018.

In the redacted “Document Containing the Charges” released on February 13 this year, the ICC named dela Rosa, fellow Senator Lawrence Go, and six other individuals as co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity of murder against Duterte.

Named as co-perpetrators along with the two Duterte-allied senators were:

Vicente Danao, chief of DCPO from October 2013-June 2016, who held various positions at PNP afterwards, including as counterintelligence chief at the national headquarters;

Camilo Cascolan, finance chief of Davao Region Police Office from 2011-2012, and chief of staff of the PNP Office of the Chief of Directorial Staff from September 2018-October 2019, among other positions;

Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief from April 2018-October 2019, and before that, regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office;

Dante Gierran, Davao Regional Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from 2013–2016, and Director of the NBI from 2016-2020;

Isidro Lapeña, DCPO chief from 1996-1998, and chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from 2016-2017; and

Vitaliano Aguirre II, lawyer for Duterte and allegedly also for “other members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS),” and Secretary of Justice from July 2016-April 2018).

The document also mentioned “other members of the PNP and high-ranking government officials.” (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)