Under the new regulation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that took effect yesterday, November 10, 2025, all arrest warrants are now filed “under seal” or “secret,” meaning the public may not be immediately informed about them.
This was the update from ICC Assistant to Counsel Atty. Kristina Conti regarding the issue of an alleged arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, named as a co-perpetrator in the case of crimes against humanity linked to the bloody drug war under the Duterte administration.
According to the ICC spokesperson, they cannot confirm whether a warrant has indeed been issued against Dela Rosa.
Conti explained that the new rule is clear: warrants should not be disclosed until the suspect has been brought before the court, in order to avoid disrupting investigations, prevent further crimes, and increase the chances of a successful arrest.
“What this means is that, whether a warrant has indeed been issued or is still to be issued, it is most likely not intended to be made known to the public — until of course a suspect has been brought to the court. Considerations for publicizing or not publicizing a warrant include whether this could interrupt criminal conduct, deter the commission of other crimes, or maximise opportunities for arrest,” she posted on Facebook.
Earlier, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that a warrant had already been issued against Dela Rosa, though the Department of Justice has yet to confirm this.
Despite the uncertainty, Conti maintains that victims of the war on drugs have sufficient reason to believe that the ICC has already taken action. (ZIA LUNA)
