Davao police see no sign of Sen. Bato dela Rosa; Army says it has no arrest order

Police in the Davao Region have not detected any movement of Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, and the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division (10th ID) has received no order to help arrest him, officials said on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, according to SunStar.

Police Maj. Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson of Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-Davao), told the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing that police are checking whether the senator is in the region. She said that so far, results have been "negative."

At the same briefing, 10th ID spokesperson Maj. Ruben Gadut said the division has no standing directive, order or request to take part in an arrest. He declined to comment on what he described as speculation, saying the division would issue a statement only once it becomes involved, and that it defers to PRO-Davao's assessment that the senator is not in the region.

Gadut said the military's role in such cases is mainly intelligence, logistics, law enforcement support and training, with the Philippine National Police (PNP) holding the lead role. Asked whether the division is prepared to assist, he said, "Yes, the 10ID is always ready for law enforcement operations," citing its support in joint checkpoints, mining-related operations and for the Bureau of Immigration.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla likewise said the military supports lawful government operations with the PNP as lead agency.

On Oct. 23, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the PNP offered a P50-million bounty for dela Rosa's arrest. PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Ray Co said on Wednesday that teams, including Special Action Force troopers, are tracking the senator, and released mobile numbers for public tips, the Philippine News Agency reported.

The International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber I issued the warrant on Nov. 6, 2025, and made it public on May 11, 2026. The court alleges dela Rosa was an indirect co-perpetrator of the crime against humanity of murder over the killing of at least 32 people from July 2016 to April 2018 during the previous administration's drug war. The warrant notes he was Davao City Police Office director from 2012 to 2013 before serving as PNP chief from 2016 to 2018.

Dela Rosa's camp has again asked the Supreme Court to stop his arrest, seeking reconsideration of its May 2026 denial of interim relief and citing the bounty as a sign that enforcement has escalated.