A public statement released by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on his 64th birthday placed renewed attention on his stance against the International Criminal Court, as questions continue to circulate about his prolonged absence from Senate sessions.
In the message, dela Rosa said he remains in good condition and framed the situation as a test of national sovereignty rather than a personal legal issue. “Here I am, alive and well, gratefully celebrating 64 years of this God-given life. I am waiting. Waiting, for a true seeking for justice to emerge and take over. Not this threat of fake and foreign meddling, from those who do not and can never know us or be us,” he wrote.
He argued that submitting to proceedings before a foreign tribunal would amount to abandoning the sacrifices made by Filipinos in defending independence. “Kung papayag lamang ako na ako’y huhulihin at lilitisin ng mga tao at korteng banyaga, tila binalewala ko na rin ang pakikipaglaban ng ating mga bayani at sundalo para sa ating kasarinlan,” he said.
The senator added that his personal wish for the occasion was for the country to regain what he described as full national capacity to administer justice through its own institutions, without external intervention.
The statement comes amid an ongoing International Criminal Court inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity tied to the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign. The investigation covers incidents from 2011 to 2019 and examines potential responsibility at the policy and command level, including actions or omissions by senior officials during periods of intensified police operations.
Dela Rosa’s name has figured in public discussion because he led the Philippine National Police from 2016 to 2018, when enforcement efforts against illegal drugs escalated nationwide. The ICC probe does not hinge on direct participation in killings but on whether authority figures may bear liability for policies, directives, or failure to prevent abuses.
There is currently no arrest warrant, formal charge, or active case against the senator. Although the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, the court has maintained that it retains jurisdiction over alleged offenses committed while the country was still a state party, a position affirmed by its judges. Philippine authorities have stated they are not cooperating with the ICC, leaving any future action dependent on subsequent legal developments.
