PNP Vows No Letup in Hunt for Dela Rosa Amid Talks with 'Powerful Protectors'

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has declared that its efforts to arrest Senator Ronald Dela Rosa will not wane, even as the government is engaged in negotiations with his alleged "powerful protectors" regarding his surrender. "It will take as long as it will take," PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co stated at a press briefing in Camp Crame. He assured reporters that their efforts "did not wane, will not wane, and we will not deviate from serving the warrant of arrest." The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for the senator due to his involvement in the drug war initiated by former President Rodrigo Duterte during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as president. The tribunal, which already has Duterte in its custody in The Hague, Netherlands, has identified Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, as a "co-perpetrator." On Tuesday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed that the government was negotiating with Dela Dela Rosa's "protectors," whom he did not identify but described as "powerful people." Remulla justified the negotiations by stating, "We don't want casualties involved. That's number one. They have to surrender peacefully." He added, "And we will use all the levers of the government to get him out of his hiding, using all the economic and military levers that we have in order to force him out." However, the senator's legal counsel, Israelito Torreon, denied any personal knowledge of Dela Rosa's powerful protectors, asserting that his client is a "deeply prayerful man" who considers God his "one and only protector." Meanwhile, Col. Co confirmed that the PNP's search for Dela Rosa is ongoing but declined to provide further details, citing operational security. He also noted that 91 out of the 117 firearms registered to the senator remain unaccounted for. "Our FEO [Firearms and Explosives Office] is continuously coordinating with the [senator’s] family for the surrender of the guns. Legal police action will be initiated," Co said. The PNP FEO had revoked Dela Rosa's firearms licenses and gun registrations in June as part of the ongoing campaign to apprehend him. The senator was last publicly seen on May 14, leaving the Senate premises early in the morning. Three days prior, he had reappeared in the Senate after being in hiding for over six months amid rumors of the ICC arrest order. Remulla had previously indicated that Dela Rosa's last known location was in Mindanao.