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Mark Ernest Villeza - The Philippine Star
November 10, 2026 | 12:00am
Sen. Bato Dela Rosa appeared for the second time in the Senate after months of non-attendance since November due to a warrant of the International Criminal Court.
Philstar.com / Ian Laqui
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has received and acted on more than 500 tips on the possible whereabouts of wanted Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, with police teams conducting searches in various parts of the country, including remote islands, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said yesterday.
Nartatez said the information came through different channels, including text messages to police personnel and reports to police stations and hotlines.
Authorities have validated the leads and launched operations in areas identified by informants.
“We have received no less than 500 pieces of information, and these have been properly validated. We have conducted operations in different areas,” Nartatez said.
He said police teams had gone to areas in western and eastern Mindanao, the Visayas, Bicol region, southern Tagalog and Luzon, as well as remote islands that required hours of travel on foot and crossing of rivers.
Nartatez hoped Dela Rosa would be arrested soon, adding that fugitives could not remain in hiding indefinitely as their movements become increasingly limited.
“The police are working around the clock with other law enforcement agencies, particularly those with intelligence capabilities, while also seeking the help of local communities and governments,” he said.
Dela Rosa has been in hiding since May after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him over his alleged role in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.
A P50-million bounty has been announced by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for information on the whereabouts of Dela Rosa.
Other manhunts
The PNP is also pursuing other high-value fugitives, including former lawmaker Zaldy Co, former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and businessman Atong Ang, along with several other suspects in the flood control corruption scandal.
Nartatez said the police had conducted more than 500 operations, backed by intelligence efforts, to locate wanted persons who remain at large.
He warned police personnel against using their positions to protect fugitives or obstruct their arrest.
Nartatez said the PNP had resolved 5,500 administrative cases during his tenure, excluding criminal cases.
The police chief added that the PNP was working to reduce its list of wanted persons, which contained about 500,000 names when he assumed office.
Around 200,000 have since been removed through police operations and the implementation of arrest warrants, he said.
