Bato Dela Rosa's Senate allies criticize NBI attempt to serve ICC arrest warrant

A day after an attempt to serve an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald dela Rosa, senators looked back at the events and what the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) did wrong.

In Mark Salazar’s report on “24 Oras,” dela Rosa’s allies in the Senate criticized the way law enforcers attempted to implement the ICC’s warrant against him.

At one point during Tuesday’s plenary session, the former top cop turned lawmaker was seen shedding tears while conversing with his ally, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

“May sentimental lang na sinabi si Bong Go sa akin, bumigay ako (Bong Go told me something sentimental, so I teared up)… Privileged communication between friends,” dela Rosa said when asked about what made him cry.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta asked why former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was acting like a “process server” in accompanying the NBI in enforcing the ICC arrest warrant.

READ: Minority senators urge Bato Dela Rosa to surrender amid ICC warrant

In reply, Senator Robinhood Padilla quipped that Trillanes seemed to be acting like a court sheriff enforcing a court’s orders.

“Kailangan pong malaman natin kung siya ay process server, sheriff or deputized officer ng ICC o ng Interpol,” Marcoleta said.

(We should know if he is a process server, sheriff, or deputized officer of the ICC or the Interpol.)

Senator Pia Cayetano recalled telling the NBI agents not to enter the Session Hall.

“Ah so ang instructions niyo is hanggang lang makapasok, hanggang doon lang sa pinto bago mag session hall? Hahabulin niyo?” she asked.

(So the instructions is to chase him until before he enters, just by the door of the session hall?)

READ: Padilla to file ethics complaint vs Pangilinan

For his part, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva criticized the injuries sustained by a member of the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms.

Villanueva said he talked with Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, Padilla, and Jinggoy Estrada, and said they were all in agreement that what happened to the OSAA staff was wrong.

“Lahat po kami, talagang nagpanting ho ang tenga namin... Dahil ito ang tao natin, mga kasamahan natin na nagbabantay at ginagawa lang ang trabaho. ‘Yung individual na ito, Mr. President, kaka-isang buwan pa lang po niya dito sa Senado,” he said.

(All of us are angry. Because this is our staff, our colleagues who are guarding us and doing their jobs. This individual has been working for just one month in the Senate.) — JMA, GMA News