Dela Rosa: Former Philippine ‘drug war’ police chief runs away from government agents to avoid ICC arrest warrant

Key Points:

• Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is evading arrest after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity related to Duterte’s deadly anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2018.
• The ICC alleges Dela Rosa conspired in "tokhang"-style extrajudicial killings that resulted in thousands of deaths, charges he denies, claiming the ICC lacks jurisdiction without approval from the Philippine Supreme Court.
• Duterte, already in ICC custody in The Hague, denies human rights abuses and rejects ICC authority; the Philippines withdrew from the ICC, but the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a member.
• Dela Rosa has taken refuge in the Senate building amid protests by his supporters and political maneuvers involving Duterte’s family allies, including the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the installation of a Duterte ally as Senate president.
• Human rights groups, including Amnesty International Philippines, urge the government to arrest Dela Rosa regardless of his senatorial status, emphasizing the need for justice to prevail over political considerations.