NBI moves to detain Senator Bato dela Rosa, warns of possible clash

The National Bureau of Investigation disclosed that it intends to locate and arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, stressing a preference for a low-violence operation. Director Melvin Matibag pointed to the senator’s background as a former Philippine National Police chief, suggesting he may have networks that facilitate evasion and that he has not surrendered all his weapons. The bureau received fresh intelligence after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced a 50-million-peso reward for the senator’s capture.

Matibag warned that, despite efforts to avoid confrontation, an “encounter” cannot be ruled out during the manhunt. Dela Rosa escaped the Senate building on May 14, three days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant related to alleged crimes against humanity from the Duterte drug-war era. The case remains high-profile as the ICC probe links the senator to the campaign that resulted in thousands of deaths.