No arrest for Bato dela Rosa, says Cayetano

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa will not be arrested Monday night, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said, following tensions at the Senate involving agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The development came after Cayetano met with NBI Director Melvin Matibag to discuss the Senate’s contempt order against several NBI agents who entered the Senate premises to serve the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to dela Rosa.

“According to the NBI director, as soon as they heard na ang stand officially ng Senate, yung Senate Resolution 44 at yung manifestation ni Senator Marcoleta na dapat dumaan ’to sa korte, hindi na nila pinursue arestuhin siya ngayon,” Cayetano told reporters.

(According to the NBI director, as soon as they learned of the Senate’s official stand through Senate Resolution 44 and the manifestation of Senator Rodante Marcoleta that the matter should go through the courts, they decided not to pursue the arrest.)

In a separate interview by GMA News, Matibag said Dela Rosa should be able to respond to legal matters when needed.

"We hope that when Senator Bato needs to answer legally...the Senate will be ready to present him," he said.

Asked if Dela Rosa would no longer be arrested, he said, "Because he was already put in the custody of the Senate, we recognize that. We just hope that when Sen. Bato is needed, he will be available to answer."

Asked anew if the ICC warrant is deemed served, Matibag replied, "We will have communication with the PCTC and, of course, Interpol that if there will be any invitation we suggest that it will be channeled to the Senate."

NBI personnel earlier arrived at the Senate to serve an arrest warrant related to the ICC's investigation into killings linked to dela Rosa’s war on drugs.

Citing Matibag, Cayetano said the NBI coordinated with Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III before entering the Senate compound.

“Ang balik namin sa kanya, coordinated man ang pagpasok nyo, hindi naman siguro tama o wala naman siguro nagbigay ng pahintulot na makipaghabulan,” Cayetano said.

(We told him that while their entry may have been coordinated, no one permitted them to chase dela Rosa.)

“We explained to him that this is not a criminal or an administrative case that needs further study at meron pong due process,” he added.

CCTV footage shown during the session captured dela Rosa running toward the session hall to evade NBI agents, who were wearing civilian clothes.

Senators later voted to cite the NBI personnel in contempt and place them under Senate custody. Following the meeting with Matibag, however, Cayetano said they agreed that the contempt order against the nine agents would remain in effect while they stay under NBI custody.

Matibag confirmed this.

"They are still in contempt, but they will be placed under my custody," he said.

The agents were also directed to submit a formal explanation to the Senate on Tuesday, May 12, regarding the incident.

A fact-finding investigation will likewise be conducted separately by the Senate and the NBI into the altercation between members of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and NBI personnel, according to Matibag

“Ang request lang ng ibang senador, not to suspend until tomorrow, until sure na wala nang natira,” Cayetano said.

(The request of some senators was not to suspend the session until they were sure no NBI personnel remained inside the Senate premises.)

Cayetano also appealed to government agencies to allow the Philippine courts to handle the matter through legal processes.

“We will see what the rest of the government says after tonight. But ang appeal ko sa kanila, palakasin natin ang mga korte sa Pilipinas. Walang mawawala sa atin kung maga-apply sila ng warrants sa korte at pababayaan nila yung due process, lahat ng legal remedies. It will strengthen us, but not weaken us,” he said.

The Senate session was suspended at 10:29 p.m.—LDF, GMA News