CLAIM: The warrant issued against Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa by the International Criminal Court was a forgery made on Recto Avenue in Manila
RATING: FALSE
Contrary to claims online, the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is real and not a fabrication concocted on Recto Avenue in Manila.
Flagged content: The Facebook page named “PRRD,” named after the initials of former President Rodrigo Duterte, uploaded a graphic on May 13 showing photos of ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV and a printout of the supposed warrant against dela Rosa.
- On top of the graphic was text that read “Warrant of arrest: ni senator bato dela Rosa galing daw sa ICC ‘gawa lang pala sa RECTO.” (Warrant of arrest: for Bato Dela Rosa was said to be from ICC but was actually made in Recto.)
- The image of Trillanes used in the graphic was a file photo lifted from the news website Philstar.com.
Our debunk: The ICC has already confirmed the warrant’s veracity through its official public channels.
- On May 11, the ICC reclassified the arrest warrant issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I against Dela Rosa on Nov. 6, 2025, as public.
- A few days later, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida confirmed that the ICC warrant is valid and “it is now enforceable.”
- On May 20, the Supreme Court voted to deny Dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order or TRO on the warrant, saying that the senator “has no clear and unmistakable right to be protected.”
Rewind: Dela Rosa, a staunch Duterte ally and police chief during the previous administration’s war on drugs, has been named in the crimes against humanity case set to undergo trial at the ICC.
- After reports of an impending arrest connected to his involvement in the case surfaced late last year, the senator went into hiding.
Why we’re fact-checking this: The Facebook post recently gained 2,100 reactions, 464 comments, and 131 shares.
- The PRRD Facebook page has over 68,000 followers.
Spot the fake: As the issue involving the Senate and the ICC continues to spread online, it is important to verify claims and documents before sharing them.
- Check if the document was acknowledged by the ICC.
- Verify reports from credible news organizations.
- Be cautious of claims that rely on satire or unsupported accusations instead of evidence. Johan Ckhyla Galang
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