san bato?
Is Bato still hiding from justice?
From November 11, 2025 to today, excluding only May 11–12, 2026, when he briefly surfaced to cast the swing vote that installed Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.
Same number of months. One did the work. The other has been in hiding.
Sen. dela Rosa vanished from public view in November 2025, after the Ombudsman first disclosed the existence of an ICC warrant against him. He missed 31 of 58 Senate sessions in the 20th Congress's first regular session — the most of any senator. He briefly returned on May 11, 2026, just long enough to vote for a new Senate President, then disappeared again the same week amid gunfire and a chase through the Senate halls.
The Philippine Senate has no "no work, no pay" rule. Sen. dela Rosa continues to draw his full Salary Grade 31 paycheck while absent. He also receives a PNP retirement pension — earned through 36 years of police service — indexed to the current pay of his former rank. Both income streams are funded by the Filipino taxpayer.
Excludes 13th-month pay, mid-year bonus, RATA, PERA, and other allowances, which would raise the total substantially. Pension figure based on RA 6975 indexing — exact current amount not publicly itemized for individual retirees. The Senate GSIS pension, which he will be entitled to upon leaving office, is not included; it is a future liability, not a present payment. Sen. JV Ejercito has publicly asked Sen. dela Rosa to voluntarily decline his Senate salary. He has not.
Over the — calendar days since Sen. dela Rosa stopped attending Senate duties, a Metro Manila minimum wage worker — working every weekday with no missed shifts — would have earned roughly —. That is — of full-time minimum wage labor for every month Sen. dela Rosa has been in hiding.
An ICC warrant unsealed on May 11, 2026 charges Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa with the crime against humanity of murder of no less than 32 persons, committed between July 2016 and the end of April 2018, while he served as chief of the Philippine National Police under then-President Rodrigo Duterte.
On May 21, 2026, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida declared him a fugitive from justice and ordered nationwide enforcement of the warrant. Anyone aiding his evasion, Vida warned, would face criminal charges.
The ICC estimates that between 12,000 and 30,000 people were killed during the drug war between 2016 and 2019.
The call to enforce the warrant against Sen. dela Rosa is not a fringe position. It is the stated position of the Philippine Department of Justice, the Supreme Court of the Philippines (by negative ruling), the International Criminal Court, and an ethics committee chair in his own chamber. What follows is a record of those calls, and the legitimate channels through which the public can support enforcement.
"Senator Bato is a fugitive from justice. We're pursuing this so that the ends of justice may be achieved." Justice Sec. Fredderick Vida warned that anyone aiding Sen. dela Rosa's evasion would face criminal charges.
Rejected Sen. dela Rosa's petition to block enforcement of the ICC warrant. "For now, we can say that the warrant of arrest is valid against Senator Bato dela Rosa," presidential spokesperson Claire Castro said.
Unsealed a warrant charging Sen. dela Rosa with the crime against humanity of murder of "no less than 32 persons" between July 2016 and the end of April 2018, while he was Chief of the Philippine National Police.
Publicly urged Sen. dela Rosa to voluntarily decline his Senate salary and allowances during his absence. He has not done so.
Signed a Senate resolution urging Sen. dela Rosa to surrender to authorities.
For tips on the whereabouts of any fugitive subject to a warrant. Reports go to law enforcement, not the public.
8523-8231Families of drug war victims can submit testimony to the ICC's Victims Participation and Reparations Section.
icc-cpi.int/about/victims ↗Sen. dela Rosa continues to draw a Senate salary by virtue of his colleagues' inaction. Senate rules can be changed by Senate vote.
Senate directory ↗Karapatan, iDEFEND, and the Commission on Human Rights have documented drug war killings for nearly a decade.
karapatan.org ↗Please do not attempt to locate, confront, or surveil Sen. dela Rosa yourself, or anyone you believe to be him. Vigilantism endangers innocent people, undermines the rule of law, and gives his defense team a gift. Enforcement is the job of the NBI, PNP, and Interpol — institutions that already have the warrant in hand.