Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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

Article (news)

Job Manahan

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/17787599777471778484026991Screen Shot 2026-05-11 at 3.16.31 PM.png.webp" 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. Senate livestream/screengrab </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — The Senate&#x27;s protective custody granted to Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa is a privilege that he could turn down at any time, Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca said.</p><p>He said that Senate security could not do anything to keep him from leaving, which he did before dawn on Thursday.</p><p>“Kung gusto niyang umalis, wala kaming magagawa kung ayaw niyang i-avail yung privilege ng protective custody,&quot; he said in a live interview on TV Patrol on Thursday.</p><p>(If he wants to leave... We cannot do anything if he no longer wants to avail of the privilege of protective custody.)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/14/bato-has-left-senate-premises-1107">Cayetano: Bato no longer at Senate<br/></a></div><p>Aplasca, a former police general, clarified that protective custody at the Senate is not the same as putting dela Rosa under arrest.</p><p>Citing orders from Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, Aplasca said the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms &quot;will only respect and cooperate if the arresting officer will have… meron silang dalang judicial order galing sa (if they have a judicial order from) local authorities.&quot; </p><p>Aplasca said that based on CCTV footage and the accounts of Senate security, dela Rosa left the compound with PDP Laban party-mate Sen. Robinhood Padilla.</p><p>He said the two just walked straight to Padilla&#x27;s vehicle to leave the Senate. He said  the senators did not seem to be trying to hide their movements.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/14/senate-chaos-staged-that-s-the-sentiment-of-our-nbi-agents-matibag-says-1447">Senate chaos &#x27;staged&#x27;?: &#x27;That&#x27;s the sentiment of our NBI agents,&#x27; Matibag says<br/></a></div><p>&quot;Ganunpaman, nagko-conduct pa rin kami ng investigation kung bakit hindi man lang sila kinausap o pinigilan ng aming security personnel,&quot; he said.</p><p>(But even so, we are still conducting an investigation why our security personnel did not talk to them or keep them from leaving.)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BATO &#x27;SEEKING PNP CUSTODY&#x27;</strong></div><p>In a separate interview with Senate reporters, Aplasca, Dela Rosa’s Philippine Military Academy classmate, said the senator feared for his safety. </p><p>He said Dela Rosa talked to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police chief  Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. about going into police custody.</p><p>“Nag-offer po si Gen. Bato... nag-offer siya kung pwede, doon na lang siya i-custody,” he added.</p><p>(Gen. Bato made an offer to go into PNP custody.)</p><p>Aplasca said he felt that Dela Rosa was “not safe anymore” in the Senate.</p><p>Aplasca also said Nartatez told the senator that there is an area available for him at the PNP custodial facility at the national headquarters in Quezon City.</p><p>“Medyo natawa kaming lahat,” Aplasca said. </p><p>(We all laughed a little)</p><p>Remulla also supposedly laughed at the suggestion but said he and Nartatez would discuss the idea.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWYER ‘NOT AWARE’ </strong></div><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Dela Rosa’s legal counsel, Israelito Torreon, said he is not privy to the senator’s conversation with the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.</p><p>“Kung desisyon niya I cannot overrule my client. I can only advise him with the choices, alternatives, kung decision niya yun, of course susuportahan natin,” he added. </p><p>(If that is his decision, I cannot overrule my client. I can only advise him on his choices, alternatives. If that is his decision, we will support it.)</p><p>Dela Rosa is among the named co-perpetrators in former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s crimes against humanity case before the ICC.</p><p>He served as the chief implementor of the former administration&#x27;s bloody anti-drug campaign that saw thousands of suspected drug users and dealers killed in police operations.</p>

<p>The Senate's protective custody granted to Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is a privilege that he could turn down at any time, Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca said.</p>

The Senate's protective custody granted to Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is a privilege that he could turn down at any time, Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca said.

Sergeant-at-arms: Senate cannot impose protective custody on Bato

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Sergeant-at-arms: Senate cannot impose protective custody on Bato

Jonathan de Santos,

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 14, 2026 08:13 PM PHT

|

Updated May 15, 2026 12:58 PM PHT

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Senate

Mao Aplasca

Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms

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