PNP appeals to Bato to 'end manhunt with dignity'
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP), on Thursday, October 29, urged Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa to surrender to avoid "any injuries, violent encounters or deaths" caused by tracking operations.
The statement comes just one day before the end of a week-long deadline set for the fugitive senator to surrender.
Public Information Officer (PIO) chief PCol. Allen Rae Co reaffirmed the agency's commitment to minimizing the public danger posed by the manhunt, clarifying that even the controversial P50 million bounty placed on the senator was specifically for information that would help lead to his arrest.
"It was not stated (in the conditions of the bounty) that you must take him yourself or arrest him yourself," Co said in response to concerns raised by Dela Rosa's camp that the bounty could encourage "armed civilians to take the law into their own hands."
Co also reaffirmed the police's decision to identify the senator as "armed and dangerous."
"He has more than 90 firearms still with him. And as for the 'dangerous' categorization, there is a propensity for him to evade arrest. As can be seen, we have been searching for him for a while now. It has also been a while since the warrant came out. He is evading arrest," Co added.
On Tuesday, October 27, lawyer Israelito Torreon, on Dela Rosa's behalf, petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse its May 2026 decision denying the request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
The senator went into hiding in November 2025 and faces charges of alleged crimes against humanity associated with the Duterte administration's war on drugs. As police chief during former President Rodrigo Duterte's term, Dela Rosa is considered to have helped implement the drug war at the national level.
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