Malacañang on Friday said it has not received any official confirmation regarding reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

In a report by the Philippine News Agency, Press Officer Claire Castro responded briefly to media queries, stating, “No confirmation,” when asked about Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s earlier claim that the ICC had issued the warrant.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin also clarified that even if such a warrant exists, it may not yet have been transmitted through Interpol, which is necessary for enforcement. “We have not received any red notice or official communication,” Bersamin said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime likewise confirmed that no actionable documents have been received from international authorities.

Senator Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief from 2016 to 2018, was a key figure in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, which has been under investigation by the ICC for alleged human rights violations. Former President Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained at the ICC facility in The Hague as part of the ongoing probe.

In a statement issued Saturday by his legal counsel, Israelito Torreon, Dela Rosa’s camp urged the public and the media to exercise caution pending official confirmation from competent authorities or the ICC itself. “We have been made aware of circulating reports claiming that the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa,” Torreon said. “At this point, we do not have independent confirmation as to whether or not this information is accurate.”

Torreon added, “We therefore urge the public and the media to exercise caution and restraint in sharing or interpreting such reports until verified information is officially released by competent authorities or by the ICC itself.”

He emphasized that if proven true, they trust the Philippine government will act in accordance with the rule of law and due process, consistent with the country’s constitution and sovereign rights.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III reiterated that no senator may be arrested within the premises of the Senate, citing institutional dignity and courtesy. “Outside the Senate premises, that’s no longer our concern,” Sotto said in a Viber message to reporters.

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also weighed in, calling on government institutions to remain guided by principle and the rule of law. “No one is above the law, and no one is beneath its protection,” he said, urging the Senate to uphold fairness and equality before the law.