Philippines offers reward for arrest of Duterte's ex-drug war aide

Philippine authorities have placed a bounty on Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, seeking his arrest amid an intensifying crackdown on figures linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte's brutal anti-narcotics campaign. Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief and later national police advisor during the drug war, is wanted by the government as investigations into extrajudicial killings continue.

The timing of the bounty coincides with Duterte's scheduled appearance before courts on November 30 to face charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and attempted murder. Duterte's drug war, which lasted from 2016 to 2022, resulted in thousands of deaths and drew international condemnation from human rights organisations.

Dela Rosa has previously defended the drug war as a legitimate law enforcement operation. As a senator, he has maintained immunity from arrest while the legislature is in session, though his status may be affected by the ongoing legal proceedings against the former administration's key officials.

The bounty announcement reflects the Philippine government's broader effort to hold accountable those responsible for the drug war's documented abuses. International bodies, including the International Criminal Court, have been investigating alleged systematic killings during the campaign, which claimed to target drug trafficking but resulted in widespread civilian casualties.