The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Philippine government’s ₱50-million reward for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa has significantly restricted his ability to move around undetected, with authorities acting on leads from the public, Malacañang said.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Thursday that intensified police operations, heightened public awareness and the bounty announcement had made it increasingly difficult for the senator to evade authorities.
“The combined effect of heightened police operations, increased public awareness and the bounty announcement has substantially narrowed the senator’s ability to move freely without drawing attention,” Castro said, quoting a statement from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
She said law enforcement agencies were carefully evaluating information received from various sources, with credible leads immediately referred for appropriate action.
Castro, however, declined to disclose operational details or provide information about Dela Rosa’s possible whereabouts, warning that doing so could compromise intelligence gathering, expose informants and put police personnel at risk.
The PNP, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies, has intensified its nationwide search for the senator, who faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over alleged crimes against humanity linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign.
Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief during the early years of Duterte’s administration, is accused of being a co-perpetrator in the alleged crimes arising from the government’s war on drugs.
He has been in hiding since late 2025 after the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him. The warrant was subsequently unsealed in May 2026.
The government announced the ₱50-million reward on Oct. 23 as authorities stepped up efforts to locate the senator. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla Jr. also gave Dela Rosa a one-week period to voluntarily surrender, warning of intensified operations should he refuse.
The PNP has appealed to the senator to turn himself in, stressing that authorities want to avoid violent encounters, injuries or loss of lives during the manhunt.
Dela Rosa’s legal camp, meanwhile, has questioned the enforcement of the ICC warrant and sought Supreme Court intervention to stop his arrest.
Despite the intensified operations and the substantial reward, authorities have yet to publicly confirm his whereabouts or announce his apprehension.
The government has maintained that efforts to locate the senator will continue, with law enforcement agencies expected to observe due process and applicable legal procedures.