A former head of police in the Philippines, Ronald Dela Rosa, is wanted for alleged crimes against humanity over his role in a bloody “war on drugs” during Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016-2022 presidency.

Dela Rosa, 64, is a Philippine senator and former head of national police, known for his role as the chief enforcer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”. He's a celebrity-like figure in the Philippines, where he cultivated a tough-talking image, often making violent threats against drug dealers.

His close ties with Duterte date back to their shared roots in Davao, in Mindanao, southern Philippines. Dela Rosa served as city police chief from 2012-13, and Duterte was mayor for more than 20 years cumulatively. It was in Davao that Duterte first rolled out his ruthless approach to law enforcement. He established the Davao Death Squad (DDS), a group of police officers and non-police hitmen whose task was to kill alleged criminals, including drug dealers. Dela Rosa is accused of helping to recruit individuals and direct the group.

When Duterte was elected president in 2016, he appointed Dela Rosa head of Philippine national police. Dela Rosa's task was to implement Duterte's “war on drugs” on a national scale.

“Pour gasoline on their houses and burn them. Show your anger,” Dela Rosa once told crowds of surrendering drug users. He told them they could “kill” drug lords.

Police say more than 6,000 suspects were killed in official anti-drug operations during Duterte’s presidency. Activists say the real death toll may never be known. Some estimates suggest as many as 30,000 may have been killed.

Dela Rosa was last seen in public at the senate last week. He made a surprise appearance after six months of staying out of the public eye to avoid arrest. He attended the senate to take part in a vote that would benefit his ally, the vice-president, Sara Duterte, the daughter of the former imprisoned leader.

In bizarre and dramatic scenes, he was chased through hallways and up staircases in the senate by government agents seeking his arrest. Dela Rosa managed to outpace them. His allies in the senate granted him protective custody.

The justice secretary, Fredderick Vida, announced on Thursday that law enforcement had been ordered to apprehend Dela Rosa. This happened after the supreme court rejected the senator’s attempts to block his arrest.

Key Facts

  • Dela Rosa is 64 years old
  • He's a former head of national police
  • He's accused of alleged crimes against humanity for his role in the “war on drugs”
  • An ICC arrest warrant was issued for him
  • He escaped from the senate building last week after a dramatic chase

What happens next isn't clear. Many questions remain over Dela Rosa’s case. It’s unclear how Dela Rosa managed to escape from the heavily guarded senate building last week without detection. It's also unclear why the authorities hadn't previously acted on the ICC arrest warrant, which was first issued confidentially in November.

The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa for alleged crimes against humanity. He's accused of implementing the “war on drugs” at a national level. Duterte was arrested last year and is imprisoned awaiting trial in The Hague. The arrest warrant accuses Dela Rosa of carrying out Duterte's orders. Dela Rosa won't be able to avoid arrest forever, and he can't stay in hiding indefinitely.