MALACAÑANG on Thursday said Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s world is “shrinking” as the Philippine National Police (PNP) steps up its operation to arrest him and acts on credible leads as to his whereabouts.
The PNP appealed to dela Rosa “to voluntary surrender to the proper authorities and submit himself to the legal process with dignity.” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the PNP’s efforts to apprehend dela Rosa have limited the fugitive senator’s movements.
“It is true that Senator Bato [dela Rosa]’s world is shrinking because anyone who might see him will immediately provide information to the PNP and other law enforcement agencies,” Castro said in Filipino in a press briefing.
The Palace press officer also said that National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag is also receiving information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitive senator.
The PNP said that following the announcement of a P50-million bounty for information leading to the apprehension of dela Rosa, the PNP, in close coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other concerned agencies, has significantly stepped up its efforts to arrest him.
“The combined effect of heightened police operations increased public awareness, and the bounty announcement has substantially narrowed the senator’s ability to move freely without drawing attention,” the PNP said in a statement.
However, the PNP declined to discuss specific intelligence information and operational details regarding the manhunt.
“What we can assure the public is that information received is being carefully and thoroughly assessed, and credible leads are being acted upon without delay,” the PNP said.
While earlier reports said the deadline for dela Rosa to surrender was Thursday, Oct. 29, the PNP has said it expires between Oct. 26 and Oct. 27.
The PNP has countered the claim of dela Rosa that the P50-million bounty on his head placed his life in danger.
As the one-week ultimatum on dela Rosa ticks to its lapse on Friday, Oct. 30, the senator’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, asked the Supreme Court anew to reverse its May 2026 denial to stop the International Criminal Court from arresting the senator.
In the 15-page petition, Torreon cited recent developments, specifically Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s announcement of the P50 million and the tagging of him as “armed and dangerous” influences vigilante actions and “invites people to take law into their hands.” The PNP slammed this position and clarified that the multimillion-peso bounty is only for information on the senator’s whereabouts and never meant to hand over law enforcement function to the civilian community.
“It was very clearly stated that the P50 million reward is for pointing or giving tips as to the location or any information that would be given to us that will lead to the arrest of the senator,” Co said.
“It didn’t say anything there about taking him yourself or arresting him yourself — we didn’t say anything like that,” he added.
Remulla repeatedly said dela Rosa is in Mindanao but not in Davao City and is being coddled by a moneyed, armed group who the government negotiated with for the senator’s peaceful surrender.
He said 10,000 people could perish if forces go hard on dela Rosa — a former PNP chief and a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. Hence, the government’s decision to negotiate rather than risk losing lives just for the arrest of one man.
The DILG and the PNP refused to say the results of the negotiations, hence the announcement of the bounty for information leading to his successful arrest.
“You cannot expect especially a wanted person to remain static in one place, but we see that with this intensified manhunt operations as well as the offering of the reward his scope will be severely restricted,” Co said.
The PNP also stood firm on the “armed and dangerous” tag as the senator, despite surrendering 26 out of his 117 registered firearms, still has 91 guns.
“He is armed, he has more than 90 firearms,” Co said, adding that dela Rosa had “a propensity” to evade arrest.
Still, the PNP said it does not see the need to release wanted posters for dela Rosa.
The senator, Co said, is recognizable.
