Why did dela Rosa go into hiding?
When former President Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, on an ICC warrant and brought to The Hague, speculation rose that others involved in the drug war may also be nabbed. Dela Rosa, days after Duterte’s arrest, said that he would consider going into hiding.
On Nov. 6, 2025, the ICC issued in secret an arrest warrant against dela Rosa for his involvement in Duterte’s drug war. The Philippines’ Ombudsman then went public with the warrant’s issuance. Since Nov. 11, dela Rosa has been absent from Senate sessions.
In the updated ICC document containing charges released in February, dela Rosa and another Duterte-allied Senator, Christopher “Bong” Go, were named “indirect co-perpetrators” in the alleged crimes the former President is accused of having committed during his time as Davao City Mayor and as President.
Why did dela Rosa resurface after hiding?
As the ICC case unfolded, the Duterte family was also taking a domestic political battering. The House of Representatives had been working on the second impeachment of incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte, who leads in public opinion polling to be the next Philippine President.
