Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla put an end to speculations that Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had been captured and was to be flown to The Hague, Netherlands.

Remulla called the rumors “fake news” in an ambush interview, reported RH 52 Edniel Parrosa on Wednesday.

“There has been a lot of speculations na nahuli siya and he is being whisked away to the Hague, hindi po totoo yan,” he told reporters.

The official added that the government would have no reason to keep the arrest under wraps.

“Wala kaming secret operations na hindi malaman ng mga tao. We are always transparent in what we do,” he assured.

Remulla said the senator would undergo the standard process if arrested by law enforcement, including booking procedures and an appearance before a local court prior to being surrendered for extradition.

While Remulla declined to divulge any more specific details with manhunt operations for the fugitive senator ongoing, he did mention in May that Dela Rosa had been last spotted in Davao region.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for the senator in connection with his role in the bloody War on Drugs under the administration of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Speaking at DZRH's Balansyado on Tuesday, Dela Rosa’s legal counsel, Atty. Israelito Torreon, said he believes his client remains in the country, as it would be difficult to elude information merchants who would sell him out to law enforcement if he ever fled the country.

He added that voters who elected Dela Rosa as senator would understand the basic need for “self-preservation”—in the senator’s case, choosing to go into hiding rather than attend Senate sessions and risk arrest.

The lawyer stressed that the ICC is a “foreign” court whose processes do not guarantee the same protections given suspects in the Philippines.