Davao del Sur Governor Yvonne Roña Cagas has assured the Department of Justice (DOJ) that the province will not provide refuge or protection to Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who remains the subject of an ongoing manhunt by authorities.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the governor gave the assurance during his recent visit to Mindanao, emphasizing that Davao del Sur will not become a sanctuary for fugitives.
Vida said the commitment aligns with the DOJ’s appeal to local government units not to allow their jurisdictions to become “havens for fugitives” or safe hiding places for individuals wanted by law enforcement.
According to the justice secretary, Cagas assured him that provincial authorities would not extend protection to conceal the whereabouts of the sought-after senator.
The governor also reportedly informed the DOJ that Dela Rosa is not in Davao del Sur.
Dela Rosa remains under pursuit by law enforcement authorities following the implementation of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with allegations linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The senator has been in hiding since May 2026 after the ICC unsealed its warrant of arrest, which identified him as an alleged co-perpetrator in crimes against humanity charges alongside former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Government authorities have intensified efforts to locate Dela Rosa, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) offering a ₱50-million reward for information leading to his arrest. The government has also designated him as “armed and dangerous” and launched a dedicated task force to track him down.
Justice Secretary Vida earlier confirmed that the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had been directed to implement the ICC arrest warrant, describing Dela Rosa as a fugitive from justice who must face the charges filed against him before the international tribunal.
The ICC warrant, which was made public in May 2026, alleges that Dela Rosa played a key role in the implementation of the government’s anti-drug operations and found reasonable grounds to believe he was involved in crimes against humanity related to killings during the campaign.
The case against Dela Rosa is closely tied to the broader ICC investigation into the Duterte-era drug war, which has drawn international scrutiny and ongoing legal proceedings in The Hague.