Palace urges Dela Rosa: ‘Sumuko ka na para walang dugong dadanak’
Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to address ongoing issues pertaining to the ICC arrest warrant. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday called on Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa to surrender to authorities to avoid bloodshed, and took a swipe at the group coddling the lawmaker-fugitive.
The Palace issued the statement days after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that the government is in talks with the group keeping Dela Rosa from being arrested, underscoring that so far, the government cannot forcefully extract the senator without bloodshed.
“Sumuko ka na kasi para wala nang dugong dadanak and at the same time doon sa mga nagkakanlong, alam po natin na dapat nating pairalin ang batas,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.
Castro declined to disclose the group’s identity, saying that she is not authorized to share the information.
But the Palace official urged Dela Rosa’s protectors against coddling the lawmaker who has a standing arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for being the chief implementor of the previous administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.
“Huwag kayo magsilbi na kasangkapan ng mga taong dapat na nadidinig din o mga taong dapat napapanagot sa batas,” Castro said.
“Huwag po kayong magsilbing tulay para makaalpas ang mga masasabi nating taong may dapat na kaharapin sa mga taong kanilang diumanong nabiktima,” she said.
“Ganito ba ang gusto natin? Na ang mag may kaso kupkupin ng mga organisasyon o grupo na sanay sa pagiging bayolente?”
Dela Rosa went into hiding in late 2025 after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that the ICC is set to release an arrest warrant against the police chief-turned-politician.
Dela Rosa made a brief appearance in the Senate in mid-2026 to help install his ally Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.
Authorities tried to arrest Dela Rosa then, but failed after the Senate insisted that sitting senators cannot be apprehended inside the institution’s premises.
After days of holing up in his office, Dela Rosa slipped past authorities by boarding the van of Sen. Robin Padilla.
Padilla is now facing a separate set of complaints for allegedly aiding Dela Rosa in his escape.