The National Bureau of Investigation said Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s extensive background in law enforcement, combined with a massive personal arsenal, necessitates extreme caution for arresting officers.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will request for the
immediate cancellation of all firearms licenses belonging to Sen. Ronald
“Bato” dela Rosa, identifying the lawmaker as “armed and dangerous”
following his disappearance from Senate protective custody.
NBI
Director Melvin Matibag said on Monday, May 25, the bureau is currently
drafting a legal position to be submitted to the Philippine National
Police (PNP), specifically the Firearms and Explosives Office, to strip
the senator of his gun privileges.
According to Matibag, the
senator’s extensive background in law enforcement, combined with a
massive personal arsenal, necessitates extreme caution for arresting
officers.
Records indicate that Dela Rosa possesses 118 licensed
firearms, ranging from sidearms to high-powered automatic rifles and
shotguns, all registered to an address in Davao City.
“The
issuance of a license to possess firearms is a privilege that is granted
to an individual,” Matibag explained. “If that is a privilege extended
by the government, the government can cancel that license at any time
for any reason.”
Matibag further argued that because the senator
has evaded the service of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest
warrant, his legal status has shifted.
The NBI’s move comes as
they deploy a dedicated team to track the senator, who was last seen
being assisted by Sen. Robinhood Padilla before vanishing from the
Senate premises.
Matibag noted that once the licenses are
officially revoked, any continued possession of the weapons would be
deemed illegal, making them subject to immediate confiscation.
“We
will write to the PNP regarding our legal position,” Matibag confirmed,
noting that while the NBI is the lead agency in the tracking effort,
the FEO holds the primary authority over license administration.
The
NBI has also alerted its regional offices to remain on high alert,
particularly in Davao, which is being considered a primary area of
interest due to the senator’s deep local ties and the registration of
his arsenal in the region.
PNP acting public information office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said they would act on any such request once formally submitted.
“Upon
receipt of such request, we will evaluate and act on the same in
accordance with Republic Act No. 10591 and its revised implementing
rules, swiftly and within the bounds of the law,” Co said in a text
message to reporters.
He said a license may be revoked
automatically if any of the grounds under the 2018 Revised Implementing
Rules and Regulations are present, adding that a single ground is
sufficient to justify revocation.
The PNP official said the
process remains administrative and subject to review by the Firearms
License Revocation and Restoration Board, which has authority to assess
and act on such cases.
Meanwhile, PNP chief
Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they have intensified coordination
with other law enforcement agencies amid reports that more ICC arrest
warrants are on the way.
“We remain fully committed to our mandate
of upholding the rule of law, including the enforcement of any legal
orders. As officers of the law, this is our sworn duty,” he noted.
SC: No merit in TRO plea
In
denying Dela Rosa’s request for temporary restraining order (TRO) and
other judicial reliefs, the Supreme Court (SC) voted 9-5-1 “for lack of
merit.”
In an eight-page resolution dated May 20, 2026 and
published on its website on Monday, the SC ruled that “there is no
material and substantial invasion of Senator Dela Rosa’s rights,” mainly
due to the protective custody given to him by the Senate and President
Marcos’ declaration that he did not issue a capture order.
Dela Rosa also “failed to establish an urgent need for the issuance of a TRO to prevent irreparable injury.”
Chief
Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and
Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Rodil Zalameda, Samuel
Gaerlan, Jhosep Lopez, Jose Midas Marquez, Maria Filomena Singh and Raul
Villanueva concurred with the denial of the TRO. — With Janvic Mateo, Neil Jayson Servallos, Ghio Ong