Five senators on Tuesday, May 12, urged Senator Bato dela Rosa to surrender to authorities and face the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against him, amid intensifying debate over the Senate’s supposed protection against arrest.
Former Senate President Tito Sotto and Senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Ping Lacson, and Kiko Pangilinan signed Senate Resolution No. 395, calling on Dela Rosa to submit himself to legal processes.
“It is hereby resolved by the Senate of the Philippines, to urge Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ M. dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender to the proper authorities and seek judicial remedies in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws and rules,” the resolution stated.
The senators filed the resolution a day after the ICC publicly released Dela Rosa’s November 2025 arrest warrant. On the same day, Dela Rosa returned to the Senate and backed Alan Peter Cayetano in the contest for Senate president.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber said prosecutors established substantial grounds to believe Dela Rosa committed crimes against humanity in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
In the warrant, ICC prosecutors accused Dela Rosa of helping create “a network of perpetrators” that carried out systematic killings and recruiting individuals “they could trust and control” during the anti-drug campaign.
Dela Rosa’s appearance at the Senate also revived discussions about the long-standing practice discouraging arrests within Senate premises — a tradition his allies have cited to shield him from arrest.
However, the senators stressed that the Senate cannot legally provide sanctuary from lawful arrest or judicial proceedings.
“Resolved further, that the Senate reiterates that it possesses no constitutional or statutory authority to provide ‘protective custody’ or sanctuary from lawful arrest, surrender, or judicial processes,” the resolution read.
The lawmakers also cited Article VI, Section 11 of the Constitution, emphasizing that congressional immunity applies only to offenses punishable by not more than six years’ imprisonment while Congress is in session and does not extend to grave crimes or international proceedings.
Former senator Leila de Lima also rejected claims that Senate grounds could shield Dela Rosa, saying no law bars authorities from arresting a senator inside the Senate if they carry a valid warrant.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.