Hunted by the ICC, a powerful Philippine senator calls on the population to prevent his arrest

Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa asserted on Wednesday that his arrest was imminent and called on the public to prevent his transfer to the International Criminal Court. The former Philippine police chief is accused of crimes against humanity related to the violent war on drugs waged under President Rodrigo Duterte.

For three days, dela Rosa has remained holed up in his Senate office in Pasay City, fearing imminent arrest. The ICC made public on Monday an arrest warrant dating from November targeting the former security official, considered one of the main architects of the Duterte administration's controversial anti-drug campaign.

This war on drugs, launched during Rodrigo Duterte's presidency, resulted in thousands of deaths and drew sharp criticism from the international community and human rights organizations. Duterte himself, now 81, is currently awaiting trial in The Hague following his arrest last year.

In a video posted on Facebook, Ronald dela Rosa implored his supporters to help him avoid being transferred to the Netherlands. "Don't allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague," he said, in a direct appeal for public mobilization.

The senator also asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not to cooperate with the ICC regarding his extradition. For its part, the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation, which dela Rosa accuses of plotting his arrest, has not publicly confirmed any such operation.

This case risks exacerbating political tensions in the Philippines, where the debate surrounding the war on drugs remains extremely sensitive. The potential arrest of Ronald dela Rosa would constitute a major new turning point in the international legal proceedings against those formerly responsible for this deadly security campaign.