MANILA— The P50-million reward offered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa highlights the Marcos administration’s alleged failures in implementing an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, according to a lawyer representing victims before the tribunal.

Atty. Kristina Conti said the bounty underscored questions about the government’s handling of the warrant and the senator’s ability to remain in hiding.

“Ironically, putting a 50 million peso bounty on Bato Dela Rosa only highlights the incompetence of the Marcos administration in implementing the ICC warrant, before and now. It reminds us how the DILG, NBI, and PNP essentially let Bato go in May 2026, and on the other hand, how powerful Dela Rosa’s backers are,” Conti said.

She also questioned the size of the reward, comparing it with the average annual earnings of Filipino workers.

“The amount is so staggering it may be the highest ever placed on someone’s head. That amount is the total average annual salary in the Philippines of 190 working-class Filpinos! (at 21,544 pesos per month, PSA Occupational Wages Survey 2024) And really, how much is enough to persuade his friends and associates to turn him in?” she said.

Conti noted that the bounty would be funded through public resources, describing the situation as ironic given Dela Rosa’s position as a senator and the additional public spending involved in efforts to arrest him.

“Dela Rosa is a Senator taking taxpayer money, and on whom more taxpayer money will be spent on. There is a bitter irony, especially as we have seen what could be done and what should be done in terms of law enforcment and administration of justice,” she said.

The DILG announced the P50-million reward as authorities intensified their search for Dela Rosa, whom Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla has declared “armed and dangerous.”

Remulla said authorities had extended courtesies to the senator and attempted to negotiate his surrender, but he remained in hiding.

“We have given him all the courtesy that can be afforded as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines, but he showed nothing but cowardice by going into and remaining in hiding. Senator Bato mistook my gesture of negotiation as a sign of weakness,” Remulla said.

“It’s time for the gloves to come off. It’s time to give justice to his victims. As of today, Senator Bato will be considered armed and dangerous. We are placing a bounty of P50 million for his capture,” he added.

The reward will come from the intelligence funds of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the DILG. Authorities have also formed a task force led by Lt. Gen. Wilson Lopez to locate and arrest the senator.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said intelligence operatives had been deployed across Western and Eastern Mindanao, Bicol, Central Luzon, Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog. Authorities are also checking information from Dela Rosa’s contacts, relatives, friends and former colleagues in the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Nartatez said police were prepared to implement the arrest warrant but preferred a peaceful surrender.

“The PNP is always ready for that, whether peaceful or it will come to an armed confrontation,” he said.

“Of course, we would like to have a peaceful resolution of whatsoever conflicts, especially in the implementation of any warrant, whether search warrant or arrest warrant.”

He warned that anyone found harboring or protecting Dela Rosa could face legal consequences.

Dela Rosa has been in hiding since leaving the Senate before dawn on May 14, hours after a shooting incident within the chamber’s premises. He last attended a Senate session on May 13 and was placed under the Senate’s protective custody on May 11, when Alan Peter Cayetano was Senate president. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has since replaced Cayetano.

The senator faces an ICC arrest warrant over his alleged role in killings linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. The ICC accused Dela Rosa of being a co-perpetrator with Duterte in murder and attempted murder cases connected to the anti-drug campaign.

The ICC unsealed the warrant on May 11, citing reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa was responsible for the crime against humanity of murder. Both Duterte and Dela Rosa have denied the allegations against them.

Conti said Dela Rosa should challenge the warrant through the ICC, which she described as the court authorized to act on it, rather than merely claiming he intends to pursue legal remedies.

“Dela Rosa claims he wants to fully avail of legal remedies but he has not questioned the warrant on its merits before the court that is ultimately authorized to act on it. He can question the issuance before the court that issued it, the ICC. As far as we know, he has not filed anything there. And the Philippine Supreme Court has not responded to his claims there,” she said.

She urged the senator to surrender to Philippine authorities and participate directly in the ICC proceedings, saying this would save time, money and effort while allowing him to avail himself of legal protections.

“Dela Rosa must fully understand the political and legal implications of his case. To save time, money, and effort, he should surrender to Philippine authorities and directly engage in the ICC proceedings. There, he can expect the highest standards in human rights and due process. And that, is priceless,” Conti said.