A YouTube video is claiming that Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has been arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). This is false.
On Jan. 12, a YouTube channel uploaded a three-minute and 41-second clip with a title that read:
“KAKAPASOK LANG! BATO DELA ROSA YARI NA WALANG KAWALA ,INARESTO NG PNP AT INTERPOL”
(JUST IN! BATO DELA ROSA IS DONE FOR! NO ESCAPE. ARRESTED BY PNP AND INTERPOL)
The video’s thumbnail included a photo collage of Dela Rosa, the PNP, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Atty. Kristina Conti, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. Placed below it was this text:
“KAKAPASOK LANG! YARI NA, DELA ROSA TUKOY NA ANG PINAGTATAGUAN, NAKORNER NA NG PNP AT INTERPOL”
(JUST IN, DELA ROSA’S HIDING PLACE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, CORNERED BY THE PNP AND INTERPOL)
No government agency, including the PNP, has announced Dela Rosa’s arrest. Neither has the media reported on such an event, which would have made national headlines.
The YouTube video itself does not mention or show photos of the senator’s “arrest” this January.
The post’s thumbnail used old and unrelated images of the former PNP chief taken on Aug. 24, 2024. A reverse image search shows that the two photos of Dela Rosa were taken when he went to the compound of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in Davao City when the PNP served arrest warrants against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and four others that day.
The clickbait video published by YouTube channel TRENDING PINAS NEWS (created Nov. 13, 2014) has garnered 5,800 views and 218 comments as of writing.
Backstory on Dela Rosa, ICC arrest warrant
Last Nov. 8, 2025, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he “has it on good authority” that an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) had been issued against Dela Rosa, who has been named as co-perpetrator of crimes against humanity under the Duterte administration’s drug war.
However, the ICC has declined to confirm the information. This Jan. 13, the Department of Justice also refused to grant the request of Dela Rosa’s lawyer seeking confirmation of the alleged arrest warrant.
Dela Rosa has not attended Senate sessions since Nov. 11, nor has he been responsive to messages from the Senate president.
Dela Rosa served as the PNP chief from 2016 to 2018 under former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was arrested in March 2025 for alleged crimes against humanity charges related to the war on drugs campaign.
