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Mark Ernest Villeza - The Philippine Star
May 26, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will request for the immediate cancellation of all firearms licenses belonging to Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, identifying the lawmaker as “armed and dangerous” following his disappearance from Senate protective custody.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau is currently drafting a legal position to be submitted to the Philippine National Police (PNP), specifically the Firearms and Explosives Office, to strip the senator of his gun privileges.
According to Matibag, the senator’s extensive background in law enforcement, combined with a massive personal arsenal, necessitates extreme caution for arresting officers.
Records indicate that Dela Rosa possesses 118 licensed firearms, ranging from sidearms to high-powered automatic rifles and shotguns, all registered to an address in Davao City.
“The issuance of a license to possess firearms is a privilege that is granted to an individual,” Matibag explained. “If that is a privilege extended by the government, the government can cancel that license at any time for any reason.”
Matibag further argued that because the senator has evaded the service of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, his legal status has shifted.
The NBI’s move comes as they deploy a dedicated team to track the senator, who was last seen being assisted by Sen. Robinhood Padilla before vanishing from the Senate premises.
Matibag noted that once the licenses are officially revoked, any continued possession of the weapons would be deemed illegal, making them subject to immediate confiscation.
“We will write to the PNP regarding our legal position,” Matibag confirmed, noting that while the NBI is the lead agency in the tracking effort, the FEO holds the primary authority over license administration.
The NBI has also alerted its regional offices to remain on high alert, particularly in Davao, which is being considered a primary area of interest due to the senator’s deep local ties and the registration of his arsenal in the region.
PNP acting public information office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said they would act on any such request once formally submitted.
“Upon receipt of such request, we will evaluate and act on the same in accordance with Republic Act No. 10591 and its revised implementing rules, swiftly and within the bounds of the law,” Co said in a text message to reporters.
He said a license may be revoked automatically if any of the grounds under the 2018 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations are present, adding that a single ground is sufficient to justify revocation.
The PNP official said the process remains administrative and subject to review by the Firearms License Revocation and Restoration Board, which has authority to assess and act on such cases.
Meanwhile, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they have intensified coordination with other law enforcement agencies amid reports that more ICC arrest warrants are on the way.
“We remain fully committed to our mandate of upholding the rule of law, including the enforcement of any legal orders. As officers of the law, this is our sworn duty,” he noted.
SC: No merit in TRO plea
In denying Dela Rosa’s request for temporary restraining order (TRO) and other judicial reliefs, the Supreme Court (SC) voted 9-5-1 “for lack of merit.”
In an eight-page resolution dated May 20, 2026 and published on its website yesterday, the SC ruled that “there is no material and substantial invasion of Senator Dela Rosa’s rights,” mainly due to the protective custody given to him by the Senate and President Marcos’ declaration that he did not issue a capture order.
Dela Rosa also “failed to establish an urgent need for the issuance of a TRO to prevent irreparable injury.”
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Rodil Zalameda, Samuel Gaerlan, Jhosep Lopez, Jose Midas Marquez, Maria Filomena Singh and Raul Villanueva concurred with the denial of the TRO. — Janvic Mateo, Neil Jayson Servallos, Ghio Ong
