P50-M bounty for capture of armed and dangerous Bato Dela Rosa – DILG

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday announced that Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is now considered armed and dangerous and placed a P50 million bounty for his capture.

“As of today, Sen. Bato will be considered armed and dangerous. We are placing a bounty of P50 million for his capture,” Remulla told reporters at a press briefing in Camp Crame on Friday.

READ: ICC confirms arrest warrant vs Bato dela Rosa

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa for his role as the national police chief during then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2018.

He was named a co-perpetrator in the ICC’s investigation into crimes against humanity.Dela Rosa went into hiding after reappearing at the Senate last May 11.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government previously said that the senator was last monitored in Mindanao.

“Next month, November, marks one year since the ICC issued the warrant of arrest for Sen. “Bato” Marapon dela Rosa for his criminal responsibility in the deaths due to the Duterte administration’s policy in the war on drugs,” Remulla said.

READ: Jonvic Remulla: Arresting Sen. dela Rosa could lead to 10,000 deaths

Remulla earlier said that an armed group is protecting the senator. He cautioned that arresting him may result in 10,000 deaths.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., however, assured that they are ready to either implement a peaceful arrest warrant or an armed confrontation.

“Of course, we would like to have a peaceful resolution of whatsoever conflict, especially in the implementation of any warrant, whether search warrant or arrest warrant,” he added.

Dela Rosa first disappeared from public view in November 2025. This follows reports of an ICC arrest, where he was tagged as a co-perpetrator in Duterte’s crimes against humanity case.

He reappeared to vote for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, where he was placed in protective custody. He later slipped out of the Senate building on May 14 and has been in hiding ever since.

“We have given him all the courtesy that could be afforded a senator of the Republic of the Philippines, but he has shown nothing but cowardice by going into and remaining in hiding,” Remulla said.

He added that they established a task force, headed by Police Maj. Gen. Wilson Lopez, to track down Dela Rosa. /gsg /atmn