THE International Criminal Court confirmed on Monday (May 11) it had issued an arrest warrant for a longtime ally of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, accusing senator Ronald Dela Rosa of crimes against humanity for overseeing Duterte's war on drugs.

The arrest warrant was originally issued 'as secret' on the 6th of November 2025, ICC spokesperson Oriane Maillet said.

Dela Rosa, the chief enforcer of Duterte's deadly "war on drugs", was on Monday placed under the protective custody of the Senate after a brief standoff with law enforcement agents.

Duterte, president from 2016-2022, was arrested by Philippine police in March 2025 and taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

ICC judges last month ruled Duterte must stand trial and confirmed the murder charges against him as crimes against humanity, paving the way for a trial.

Dela Rosa, who is mentioned by ICC prosecutors as a co-conspirator in the Duterte case, was seen attending a Senate session on Monday for the first time since disappearing from public view in November.

He has previously denied being involved in illegal killings.

There has been growing speculation that Dela Rosa would join Duterte to face accusations from the International Criminal Court about his role in the war on drugs, in which thousands of alleged dealers and users were killed, many in mysterious circumstances.

Video footage displayed during the Senate session showed Dela Rosa running away from Philippine agents and stumbling on stairs before reaching the safety of his office in the Senate building.

Duterte famously promised in public speeches to kill thousands of people.

His defence has said he maintains his innocence and that his rhetoric was intended to instil fear and respect for the law.