Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778484026991Screen Shot 2026-05-11 at 3.16.31 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa returned to the Senate on Monday, about 6 months since he was last seen in public. <em>Senate livestream/screengrab</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (2ND UPDATE) </strong>— After being absent since November 2025, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa suddenly showed up in the Senate on Monday and participated in the ouster of former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.</p><p>A furious Dela Rosa entered the plenary hall and said he was prevented by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from entering the Senate.</p><p>“Nung ako’y absent, hinahanap ako ninyo, sumusuweldo. Hindi nagpapakita. Ngayon, papakita ako dito, hinarang ako ng mga NBI, ni-wrestling ako doon. This is the Senate! Wala silang respeto sa institusyon ng Senado! Bakit ganun ang NBI?!” Dela Rosa exclaimed.</p><p>He refused to answer if he showed up to participate in the change in Senate leadership or if it was related to the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>According to Dela Rosa, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was with the NBI agents.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/cayetano-replaces-sotto-as-senate-president-1539">Cayetano is new Senate president, replacing Sotto</a></div><p>“As of now, Mr. President, Antonio Trillanes and some NBI operatives are still at the library. May I move that the Sergeant-at-Arms remove these people from the vicinity of the Senate,” Dela Rosa said. “He is part of the harassment, Mr. President! Kasama niya! Siya ang nagkuwan sa NBI na harangin ako dito!</p><p>Newly-elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said, “Yung nag-asunto sa’yo hindi dapat pakawalan, dapat dalhin for inquest. Yun pong walang kinalaman na nandito at wala silang official business dito, may motion ang Senator Bato na paalisin sila sa Senate.”</p><p>The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms was given 30 to 45 minutes to produce a report on what happened.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ARREST WARRANT</strong></div><p>Around 5:34 p.m., the CCTV footage of Dela Rosa entering the Senate building was shown in the session. He could be seen running up to the plenary and even tripping with people following behind. It was not certain if they were his staff or NBI agents.  </p><p>Cayetano also narrated what happened based on the submission of former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Rene Samonte. </p><p>“Earlier this morning, 0700 hours NBI NCR Chief Attorney Dong Galo paid a call to the undersigned to coordinate an arrest order. As per agreement, the supposedly arrest should be affected when the warrant of arrest is presented as per guidance of former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto,” Cayetano read from the report.</p><p>“On or about 2 p.m., the warrant of arrest was shown to the former Senate President in the presence of the undersigned, but copies were not allowed to be distributed,” he said.</p><p>According to Cayetano, even assuming that the arrest warrant was fully coordinated, authorities should have coordinated with Dela Rosa or the Sergeant-at-Arms, gave a copy of the warrant and negotiated the surrender. “We cannot excuse yung paghahagod or yung habulan inside the Senate premises,” Cayetano said.</p><p>Senators decided to hold the NBI agents who allegedly harassed Dela Rosa in contempt and ordered them detained in the Senate detention facility for investigation.</p><p>NBI Director Melvin Matibag, after meeting with Cayetano, said Dela Rosa will not be arrested. </p><p>“Yung ICC warrant, it&#x27;s there already and there was also a resolution I understand that the Senate mentioned that Senator Bato will be under their custody. So kami naman, on the executive side, we will respect the co-equal branch. So we will hope that kapag kailangan sumagot ni Senator Bato dun sa mga kailangan sagutin legally… si Senate will be ready to present Senator Dela Rosa,” Matibag explained. </p><p>“We&#x27;ll have communication with the DOJ and PCTC also and of course the Interpol that if there are any invitation or anything that will be communicated probably we will suggest that it should be channelled to the Senate President,” he added.</p><p>Matibag and other NBI agents left the Senate past 9 in the evening.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/trillanes-claims-to-have-copy-of-icc-warrant-vs-bato-dela-rosa-1646">Trillanes claims to have copy of ICC warrant vs. Bato dela Rosa</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>BATO ASKS FOR SUPPORT</strong></div><p>In a video posted on Facebook, Dela Rosa asked for support while expressing doubt on the veracity of the ICC arrest warrant shown by Trillanes to the media.</p><p>“Wala’y klaro, hindi klaro ‘yung kanyang warrant of arrest. Walang case number, ang mayroon daw doon ay kuwan lang, situation, situation number. Kaya malabo itong maging warrant of arrest, kaya pinipilit na secret daw…Gusto nila akong pilit na dadalhin sa The Hague, i-surrender doon,” he said.</p><p>“Sana suportahan ninyo ako mga kaibigan, suportahan ninyo kami. I am doing this not for myself, but for the sake of my country. Pilipinas na ang nakataya dito. Soberaniya ng Pilipinas ang nakataya dito, kinabukasan ng ating bansa. Sana suportahan ninyo kami sa aming pakikibaka dito dahil hindi po ito biro,” Dela Rosa added.</p><p>While questioning the legitimacy of the ICC arrest warrant, Dela Rosa said he is ready to face any charges, as long as it is processed through local courts.</p><p>“As I have said, haharapin ko ‘yan kung idaan lang nila sa proseso. Kung mayroong totoong warrant of arrest, dalhin nila sa local court, ayusin nila, then pag-usapan natin at haharapin namin. Hindi ‘yung dalhan ka ng papel na hindi klaro,” he said.</p><p>The ICC confirmed that it has issued an arrest warrant against former Philippine police chief and current senator Dela Rosa.</p><p>&quot;The document published by national authorities of the Republic of the Philippines and circulated in media is indeed a formal ICC document,&quot; the ICC said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;This arrest warrant against Mr Ronald Marapon Dela Rosa was issued confidentially, under seal, by Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC on 6 November 2025,&quot; it added.</p><p>The ICC also unsealed the arrest warrant.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/icc-confirms-arrest-warrant-against-dela-rosa-2111" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ICC confirms arrest warrant against Dela Rosa</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MeL7I3wyycQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa returned to the Senate on Monday, about 6 months since he was last seen in public.</p>

Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa returned to the Senate on Monday, about 6 months since he was last seen in public.

Bato dela Rosa returns to Senate after months-long absence

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Bato dela Rosa returns to Senate after months-long absence

ABS-CBN News

Published May 11, 2026 03:22 PM PHT

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Updated May 12, 2026 05:41 PM PHT

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