MANILA — The Department of Justice has declined a request from the legal camp of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa seeking official information regarding an alleged arrest warrant supposedly issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a Facebook post, lawyer Israelito Torreon shared a letter from Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan dated December 4, 2025, which he said he received on January 8, 2028.
Torreon said he released the correspondence publicly because “the public needs to know” the DOJ’s formal position.
DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez confirmed the letter’s authenticity when asked for verification.
According to the DOJ correspondence, Torreon had asked for clarification on whether the government had received any formal or informal communication from the ICC, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), or any foreign government involving a possible arrest warrant, red notice, or surrender request against Dela Rosa.
He also inquired about potential exchanges channeled through the Department of Foreign Affairs and whether the DOJ had issued any directive to the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration, or the Philippine National Police.
“Consistent with judicial courtesy accorded to all courts, we regret that we cannot issue any advice or guidance on the matter,” Chan wrote.
The Department noted that the issue had already reached the Supreme Court, which dismissed Dela Rosa’s bid to compel the government to produce the alleged ICC warrant.
Chan added that Torreon’s questions relating to the Witness Protection, Security, and Benefit Program had been forwarded to the program director for appropriate action.
Dela Rosa has not appeared at the Senate in recent weeks, amid claims from former Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla late last year that the ICC had already issued a warrant linked to the senator’s alleged role in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign