Metro Manila, Philippines – Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he has “zero expectations” of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla as he called for a nationwide manhunt for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa after his escape from the Senate complex while facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
In an interview on The Newsmaker, Trillanes criticized Remulla and law enforcement authorities after Dela Rosa supposedly slipped out of the Senate hours after a tense standoff between the National Bureau of Investigation and Senate security.
“Alam mo, suko na ako dito kay Secretary Jonvic,” Trillanes said.
[Translation: You know, I’ve already given up on Secretary Jonvic.]
“If you think at one point, he cannot top ‘yung incompetence niya, talagang he keeps on outdoing himself,” he added.
[Translation: If you think he can no longer top his incompetence, he somehow keeps on outdoing himself.]
Trillanes questioned how Dela Rosa managed to evade authorities despite Remulla earlier saying government forces were prepared in case an ICC arrest 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.
[Translation: He said yesterday that he was there to protect Bato. If you’re there to protect Bato, how did he slip past you? How are you protecting him?]
The former senator said authorities should now launch a full-scale nationwide operation to locate Dela Rosa. He also accused security officials of failing to act despite supposedly 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 de la Rosa the past six months,” he said.
[Translation: They already knew six months ago there was a warrant. He sat on it. He never made any effort to locate Bato dela Rosa during the past six months.]
He also criticized the government’s renewed move to subpoena Dela Rosa over alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
“Ngayon wala na, i-re-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.
[Translation: Now they’re reviving the subpoena again. At this point, I’m no longer frustrated with Secretary Jonvic because I already have zero expectations from him.]
The ICC has 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, the former chief implementer of Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, resurfaced at the Senate on Monday, May 11, after months away from public view.
