The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has formally requested the Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately cancel all firearms licenses of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, ordering the confiscation of his massive arsenal of 118 registered guns. 

In a letter dated May 25, 2026, signed by NBI Director Melvin Matibag, the bureau gave the former PNP Chief a strict 48-hour deadline to surrender his firearms to the nearest police or NBI station. 

The urgent directive targets Dela Rosa's Type 5 license, which covers a broad array of weapons stored at his Davao City residence, including high-powered, semi-automatic, and select-fire rifles.

The NBI bases its mandatory disqualification on Section 4(g) of Republic Act No. 10591, which absolutely prohibits anyone with a pending criminal case carrying a penalty of more than two years from owning firearms. 

Because the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an outstanding warrant of arrest against Dela Rosa for crimes against humanity linked to the previous administration's "War on Drugs," the bureau asserts that his licenses are legally void. 

The NBI explicitly argues that interpreting the law to apply only to domestic courts would produce an absurd double standard, allowing an internationally indicted individual greater firearm privileges than a local offender.

To back its legal stance, the NBI cited the recent administrative precedent involving Apollo C. Quiboloy. Chief PNP Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil previously approved the revocation of Quiboloy's 19 firearms while he was a fugitive facing domestic criminal charges. 

The NBI notes that Dela Rosa’s situation is factually identical but carries a far more severe dimension, given the sheer volume of weapons in his possession and the global weight of the ICC charges, which carry maximum penalties of up to 30 years or life imprisonment.

Emphasizing the extreme peril faced by law enforcement officers tasked with serving the ICC warrant, the NBI declared the immediate confiscation a necessary measure to ensure inter-agency safety. 

The bureau warned that keeping over a hundred high-caliber weapons including UZI submachine guns, battlefield-grade shotguns, and handguns in the hands of an active fugitive creates an extraordinary danger. 

Moving forward, the NBI has coordinated with territorial police units, particularly in the Davao Region, to enforce the immediate seizure and safe-keeping of the firearms upon Dela Rosa's apprehension or failure to comply.