Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he now has “zero expectations” of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla as he called for a nationwide manhunt against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa following his reported escape from the Senate complex amid an International Criminal Court arrest scare.
In an interview on The Newsmaker, Trillanes strongly criticized Remulla and law enforcement authorities after dela Rosa allegedly slipped out of Senate premises hours after a tense standoff involving National Bureau of Investigation agents and Senate security personnel.
“Alam mo, suko na ako dito kay Secretary Jonvic,” Trillanes said.
“If you think at one point he cannot top yung incompetence niya, talagang he keeps on outdoing himself,” he added.
Trillanes questioned how dela Rosa managed to evade authorities despite earlier statements from Remulla that government forces were prepared in case the ICC warrant would be enforced.
“Sinabi niya kahapon, he’s there to protect Bato. If you’re there to protect Bato, ba’t nakalusot sa’yo? Paano mo siya mapoproteksyunan?” Trillanes said.
The former senator said authorities should immediately launch a full-scale nationwide operation to locate dela Rosa, whom the ICC accuses of crimes against humanity tied to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Trillanes also accused security officials of failing to act despite allegedly knowing for months about the reported ICC warrant.
“Eh, alam nyo na six months ago na may warrant eh. He sat on it eh. He never made any effort to locate Bato dela Rosa the past six months,” he said.
He likewise criticized the government’s renewed move to revive local subpoenas against dela Rosa over alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the drug war.
“Ngayon wala na, ire-revive yung subpoena. Alam mo, at this point in time, hindi na ako nafro-frustrate kay Secretary Jonvic kasi zero expectations na ako sa kanya,” Trillanes said.
The ICC has already confirmed that the arrest warrant circulating against dela Rosa is an authentic document issued under seal by Pre-Trial Chamber I in November 2025.
Dela Rosa resurfaced publicly at the Senate on May 11 after months away from public view following reports that an ICC warrant had been issued against him.
The senator, who served as Philippine National Police chief during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and appealed not to be surrendered to The Hague.
