Trillanes shows up at Senate with ICC warrant for Dela Rosa
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 9:30 p.m.) — Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV presented to reporters what he said was the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
After National Bureau of Investigation agents chased Dela Rosa inside the Senate building on Monday, May 11, Trillanes confirmed the warrant was being served against the former chief of police.
Trillanes said he went to the Senate because Dela Rosa had dared him to accompany those who would arrest the senator.
"Nandito ako dahil sinabi niya on national TV na samahan ko raw ang mag-aaresto sa kanya. So nandito ako ngayon," Trillanes told reporters.
(I am here because he said on national television that I should accompany those who would arrest him. So I am here now.)
"Pinakita ko na sa inyo ang warrant ng ICC. Nandito ang NBI. Aarestuhin siya sa isa niyang kaso. Siya naman itong ayaw lumabas," he added.
(I already showed you the ICC warrant. The NBI is here. They will arrest him in one of his cases. He is the one refusing to come out.)
Asked whether he was confirming that the National Bureau of Investigation had the ICC warrant, Trillanes replied: "Yes."
On Facebook on Monday night, Trillanes posted a May 2025 video where Dela Rosa makes public remarks addressed to Trillanes: "Go ahead, sumama ka pa, mag-serve ka ng warrant." (Go with them, serve the warrant.)
"Mr Bato nandirito na ako sa Senate. Asan ka na?" Trillanes wrote.
The warrant
Trillanes said the document he showed reporters was an arrest warrant from the intenrational court, but stressed that it was not yet disclosed.
"Ito iyong warrant of arrest. Hindi ito public warrant of arrest. Sekreto lang ito, pero may warrant," he said. (This is the warrant of arrest. It is not a public warrant. It is secret, but there is a warrant.)
Justifying an arrest based on a treaty to which the Philippines was a signatory, Trillanes cited Republic Act 9851 penalizing crimes against international humanitarian law. Under the law, Philippine authorities may surrender an accused person being investigated by an international tribunal, Trillanes said.
"Kasi under Republic Act No. 9851, the government authorities may surrender him kung may abusado na iniimbestigahan ng international tribunal. Iyon ang ginagamit natin dito," Trillanes said. (Under Republic Act No. 9851, government authorities may surrender someone being investigated by an international tribunal. That is what we are using here.)
Trillanes said Dela Rosa should not be allowed to leave the Senate compound.
"Hindi na natin papalabasin iyan si Bato," he said. (We will not let Bato leave.)
Later on Monday evening (Manila time), the ICC confirmed it had issued a warrant against Dela Rosa.
Over the weekend, however, the ICC told reporters "no public arrest warrants have been issued in relation to the situation in the Philippines," after rumors of a supposed warrant circulated online.
Senate chase, protective custody
The claims surfaced hours after commotion erupted inside the Senate, where Dela Rosa alleged that NBI agents tried to stop him from entering the building.
CCTV footage later shown during plenary showed several individuals running after Dela Rosa, who was wearing a barong.
The chase went through hallways and a fire exit, and that Dela Rosa tripped on a staircase before reaching a room.
The Senate later placed Dela Rosa under protective custody amid reports of a possible arrest linked to the ICC case.
The Senate, under newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, also ordered an investigation and cited in contempt several individuals involved in the incident.
Trillanes denied being part of the confrontation inside the basement area.
"Wala ako doon," he said. (I was not there.)
The confrontation followed days of speculation over Dela Rosa's possible arrest. — with reports from Ian Laqui
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