The International Criminal Court has revealed an arrest warrant for a well-known Philippine senator connected to the controversial war on drugs under former president Rodrigo Duterte. The warrant, issued in November but unsealed recently, accuses Ronald Marapon dela Rosa, a former chief of the Philippine national police and an ally of Duterte, of committing murder as a crime against humanity, allegedly involving at least 32 individuals between July 2016 and April 2018.
Despite denials from Duterte, dela Rosa, and other police officials about authorizing the killings of drug suspects, the warrant states that dela Rosa played a significant role in the alleged crimes of murder as an “indirect co-perpetrator.” The senator made a surprising appearance at the Philippines Senate after being summoned for an investigation into the extrajudicial killings. Former senator Antonio Trillanes presented the warrant to the media in Manila, which was later confirmed by the ICC.
Dela Rosa, who previously served as the national police chief under Duterte, was instrumental in implementing the aggressive anti-drug campaign that led to the deaths of numerous suspects. Philippine authorities have called on dela Rosa to cooperate in an investigation concerning his involvement in the killings during the Duterte administration.
Maria Elena Vignoli, a senior international justice counsel at Human Rights Watch, hailed the arrest warrant as a step towards dismantling the shield of impunity surrounding those implicated in the Philippines’ deadly drug war atrocities. She urged Philippine authorities to promptly arrest dela Rosa and facilitate his transfer to The Hague for trial.
Former president Duterte, who was arrested in the Netherlands last year on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the anti-drugs crackdowns during his presidency, continues to contest the allegations. The killings of mostly impoverished drug suspects occurred during Duterte’s tenure as mayor of Davao and intensified after he assumed the presidency in 2016, sparking concerns among human rights organizations and foreign governments, including the United States.