Nartatez orders probe into alleged police escort of van reportedly carrying Bato dela Rosa

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered an internal investigation into allegations that police served as escort of a black van believed to have carried Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa out of the Senate on May 14.

Nartatez said separate verification measures have been launched to find out if any unauthorized police assistance took place.

“Let me be absolutely clear: the Philippine National Police does not operate on blind because the integrity of our institution is at stake. While we have received the initial clarification from the Pasay City Police Chief, I have already directed concerned investigative units to conduct an independent review of the logbooks, CCTV feeds, and radio dispatches from that morning,” Nartatez said.

Dela Rosa is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly being a co-perpetrator of former president Rodrigo Duterte in a “common plan” to neutralize criminals nationwide by killing them. The senator served as Davao City Police chief during Duterte’s term as mayor and was promoted to PNP chief when Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016.

After Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla revealed in November that the ICC issued a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa, the senator went into hiding, surfacing only last Monday at the Senate to cast his vote for the new Senate leadership.

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to serve the ICC arrest warrant on dela Rosa on Monday but the senator ran toward the session hall and was placed under the Senate's protective custody.

He stayed at the Senate for the next few days until he was reported to have left before dawn on Thursday, May 14, despite tight security.

Based on videos captured by GMA News, various vehicles were seen leaving the Senate basement parking between 2:30 and 3 a.m. that time.

At 2:32 a.m. a white Toyota Fortuner left the Senate, based on a GMA News video.

The Senate logbook indicated that Senator Robin Padilla departed at 2:35 a.m.

Then at about 3:03 a.m., a white vehicle with PNP markings also exited the basement. It followed a black van exiting the Senate gate.

Pasay City Police chief Police Colonel Joselito De Sesto on Saturday confirmed that he was the passenger of the white police mobile seen leaving the Senate premises in the early hours of Thursday.

The Pasay police chief, however, clarified that the police mobile was not part of any convoy of any personality.

De Sesto said that their police vehicle leaving the Senate was part of their own police operation.

He added that the white police mobile was not following a black van which left the Senate at the same time, noting that it was only a coincidence.

Moreover, De Sesto said that he has no information about the black van or whoever were inside the vehicle as he insisted that there was no interaction, coordination or operation involving the police mobile and the other vehicle in question.

The Pasay police chief added that their police mobile rode through a different direction, traversing the World Trade Center and going back to the Pasay City Police Station.

Secure logs, footage

Nartatez said investigators were directed to secure deployment logs, dispatch records, mobility records, duty rosters, and available body camera footage from units deployed to the Senate complex and nearby areas on May 14.

“If the investigation reveals that there was any unauthorized coordination, false reporting, or logistical support given to evade legal processes, those involved will face the full brunt of administrative and criminal sanctions,” the PNP chief said.

Nartatez said there was no authorization from PNP for covert assistance or special movement operations, addressing allegations that national police leadership may have known about Dela Rosa’s supposed departure plans.

“As the Chief of the PNP, I categorically state that the national leadership had no prior knowledge of, nor did it authorize any logistical assistance for, the departure of Senator Dela Rosa from the Senate premises. Our deployment in the area was strictly confined to public safety, crowd control, and managing the perimeter following the highly volatile shooting incident that occurred hours prior,” he said.

“The PNP remains a highly professional, apolitical organization loyal to the Constitution and the rule of law. We do not participate in clandestine escorts or partisan maneuvers. If any individual unit or officer acted outside of our official mandates to facilitate a departure under the guise of regular deployment, they did so entirely on their own accord,” Nartatez added. —KG, GMA News