A protester holds a placard of Philippine Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa during a rally calling for his arrest, outside the Senate in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Wednesday. Photo by Rolex Dela Pena/EPA
May 14 (UPI) -- Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa appeared to have left the Philippine Senate on Thursday and his whereabouts were unknown, officials said, deepening a political crisis in Manila as the International Criminal Court seeks the arrest of the former national police chief accused of committing crimes against humanity.
"As of 11:09 a.m., several sources confirmed that the senator, Sen. Bato, is no longer in the Senate premises, but we are still getting official confirmation on the report," Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters at a press conference.
The ICC unsealed a months-old arrest warrant for Dela Rosa, 64, on Monday, accusing him of the crime against humanity of murder in connection with the alleged killing of no fewer than 32 people as the Philippine National Police chief during former President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs.
Following a monthslong absence from the Senate, Dela Rosa appeared Monday in the plenary session, before the ICC arrest warrant was announced but amid reports it would soon be made public.
