DOJ probes possible 'plan' to help Bato dela Rosa escape Senate

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into whether the events at the Senate were planned to help Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa escape, from placing him under protective custody up to the May 13 shooting incident.

According to Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida on Wednesday, the DOJ's special panel was looking into "specific actions" that could have obstructed justice and that they are "looking at the big picture."

"Tinitignan pangkalahatan na 'yung mga actions ba nu'ng simula pa lang, ito ba ay planado, mas malaking plano, 'di ba? Nilagay siya sa protective custody, ito ba ay kasama sa plano?" he said in a briefing.

(They are looking at the actions as a whole from the very beginning was this planned, part of a larger plan, right? He was placed under protective custody. Was this part of the plan?)

"'Yung pagsasalita ba or 'yung pagsasabi ba ng under attack, 'yung pagsasabi ba ng lockdown ng Senado, lahat ito, lahat ng mga bagay na napatunayan na nangyari ay tinitignan para timbangin kung ito ay kabahagi nu'ng tinatawag natin na obstruction of justice," he added.

(Are statements on being "under attack," or declarations of a Senate lockdown, part of it? All of these things, all the events that have been proven to have occurred, are being examined and weighed to determine whether they form part of what we call obstruction of justice.)

TIMELINE: What happened before, during, after Senate shooting incident

To recall, authorities attempted to serve the warrant against Dela Rosa on May 11.

Dela Rosa was later placed under protective custody. In the early morning of May 14, he slipped out of the Senate premises, hours after the Senate went on lockdown and a shooting incident erupted at the office building where the upper chamber is located.

Vida earlier said that any individual who helped Dela Rosa escape after the ICC warrant was unsealed and made public on May 11 may be held liable.

This is part of the initial findings of the DOJ special panel that investigated the events at the Senate from May 11 to 14, according to Vida.

Vida said the special panel found that the actions of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms against the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was not justified, and that the Senate was not under attack.

"Based on the initial findings, the recommendations of the panel include: One, to identify and establish the culpability of all persons who conspired and aided the escape of Senator Dela Rosa in the early morning of 14 May 2026," he said.

"Second, to determine whether the NBI and media accounts that sniper shots appear to have been fired from the fifth floor of the Senate building towards an NBI vehicle was part of an orchestrated plan to help facilitate the escape of Senator Dela Rosa," he added.

According to the secretary, the findings were based on evidence submitted by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), members of the media, and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), including an ocular inspection at the GSIS premises.

Ocular inspection

Vida said the DOJ was not able to inspect the Senate premises as the Senate deferred action on its request, noting the ongoing investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman and the PNP.

According to Vida, the Senate also expressed concern about a possible conflict of interest as the NBI, which was involved in the incident, is under the DOJ.

Vida said the Senate also told them that it plans to conduct its own probe.

However, following the election of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate president, Vida said they will again request an ocular inspection at the Senate.

“With the change in the Senate leadership, we are expecting and hoping that there will be more coordination and cooperation with the panel," he said.

Vida said that DOJ's investigation remains active and ongoing. — VDV, GMA News