The Philippine Supreme Court has officially dismissed Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order aimed at halting an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a decisive 9-5-1 vote during a special session held this Wednesday, the High Court cleared the path for law enforcement to move forward with the arrest. Following the unsealing of the ICC’s November 2025 warrant, which lists him as a co-conspirator alongside former President Rodrigo Duterte in multiple murder and attempted murder cases, the senator reportedly fled his protective custody at the Senate to avoid capture by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Dela Rosa, who spearheaded the administration's controversial anti-drug campaign during his tenure as police chief, had argued that only domestic courts hold the jurisdiction to authorize his arrest. However, legal experts like Mel Sta. Maria have countered this by clarifying that the Philippines remains bound by international obligations regarding the ICC. While the Supreme Court noted that this ruling specifically addresses the request for a temporary stay—leaving the broader legal merits of the case to be settled later—the decision represents a significant blow to the senator’s efforts to evade the international tribunal’s reach.