Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to address ongoing issues pertaining to the ICC arrest warrant. Dela Rosa appeals for understanding and sympathy from his fellow uniformed service comrades. Maria Tan, ABS-CB News

Article (news)

SENATE- DELA ROSA

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/177882128235320260513-senate-ronald-bato-dela-rosa-MT2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ronald Dela Rosa speaks to the media during an ambush interview at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to address ongoing issues pertaining to the ICC arrest warrant. Dela Rosa appeals for understanding and sympathy from his fellow uniformed service comrades.<em> Maria Tan, ABS-CB News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE) </strong>— National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag on Friday said Sen. Robin Padilla, Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms head Mao Aplasca, as well as Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano should be made to answer for the &quot;disappearance&quot; of Sen. Bato dela Rosa from the Senate premises despite being under their protective custody.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/15/-he-is-a-free-man-pdp-says-bato-s-stay-at-senate-not-detention-1015">‘He is a free man’: Bato’s stay at Senate ‘not detention,’ ICC warrant &#x27;invalid&#x27;—PDP</a></div><p>Cayetano has confirmed that Dela Rosa, together with Padilla, left the Senate premises at around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, hours after gunshots were heard inside the premises, which some alleged was used as a “diversion tactic” to cover his “escape.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/14/lawyer-denies-diversion-allegation-as-bato-remains-inside-senate-0704">Dela Rosa legal counsel denies &#x27;diversion&#x27; allegation as senator remains inside the Senate</a></div><p>&quot;To a certain extent as to the disappearance of Sen. Bato, sila talaga yung persons of interest. Pero kung i-pursue yung investigating, we&#x27;re not yet on that level,&quot; Matibag told ANC.</p><p>Matibag clarified that &quot;persons of interest&quot; just means that they &quot;must be first to answer pag tinanong natin nasaan si Sen. Bato dela Rosa.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/icc-confirms-arrest-warrant-against-dela-rosa-2111">ICC confirms arrest warrant against Dela Rosa</a></div><p>&quot;Nangako sila [ng] protective custody kay Sen. Bato kaya hindi natuloy ang pag-aresto kasi ginagalang natin. Pero pag sinabi mong under your custody, you are responsible...mag-present sa tao na yan,&quot; Matibag added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OMBUDSMAN PROBE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In a press conference Friday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced the suspension of Aplasca for 6 months and a sweeping investigation into the &quot;unforgivable&quot; gunfire incident.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/15/ombudsman-places-senate-security-chief-aplasca-on-preventive-suspension-1413">Ombudsman places Senate security chief Aplasca on preventive suspension</a></div><p>&quot;Ang imbestigasyon na ito kasama ang lahat. Kasama ang NBI dito na ating iimbestigahan, kasama rito ang OSAA, kasama rin yung mga pulis na nagputa dun sa lugar na yun... Kasama siyempre si Sen. Robin Padilla at hihingin natin ang bersyon ng pangyayari sa lahat,&quot; Remulla said.</p><p>The Ombudsman will also investigate Sen. Jinggoy Estrada over his remark about &quot;hiding&quot; the CCTV footage of the Senate incident to determine if he meant to keep if from authorities or for safekeeping. </p><p>&quot;Pasi [si]  Sen. Jinggoy Estrdada kasi nga may mga insinuations na sinabi nya na itago yung CCTV. Kung ano ang tono nun malalaman natin. Pag may nawala diyan baka naman sya ang mapaghinalaan kaya gusto natin magpaliwanag ang lahat,&quot; Remulla said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/15/ombudsman-orders-senate-to-submit-cctv-footage-during-gunfire-incident-1505">&#x27;Sana walang coverup&#x27;: Ombudsman orders Senate to submit CCTV footage during gunfire incident</a></div><p>The Ombudsman would also like to find out if the gunfire incident was &quot;staged.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We will find out. That&#x27;s why we&#x27;re conducting an investigation. There are allegations na ito ay moro-moro, scripted. Tingnan natin kung scripted ba ito. We will find out from the facts.&quot;</p><p>Dela Rosa emerged from his 6-month absence from Senate on Monday during a plenary session where he participated to oust Sen. Tito Sotto as Senate President and install Cayetano as the new Senate head. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/12/-malaking-kahihiyan-trillanes-blasts-coward-bato-for-evading-arrest-reminds-him-of-2024-dare-0844">&#x27;Malaking kahihiyan&#x27;: Trillanes blasts &#x27;coward&#x27; Bato for evading arrest, reminds him of 2024 &#x27;dare&#x27;</a></div><p>Before his &quot;escape&quot; early morning Thursday, Dela Rosa stayed inside the Senate for days following NBI&#x27;s botched attempt to arrest him.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</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/md_QAL0OfLQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/ANPiB4nKyIk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/dWbgXrRORi8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/ZsvHakiRHCE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>NBI chief Melvin ​Matibag clarified that "persons of interest" just means that they "must be first to answer pag tanong natin nasaan si Sen. Bato dela Rosa."</p>

NBI chief Melvin ​Matibag clarified that "persons of interest" just means that they "must be first to answer pag tanong natin nasaan si Sen. Bato dela Rosa."

Persons of interest? Cayetano, Padilla, OSAA head must explain Bato 'disappearance'—NBI chief

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Persons of interest? Cayetano, Padilla, OSAA head must explain Bato 'disappearance'—NBI chief

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 15, 2026 01:07 PM PHT

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Updated May 15, 2026 03:24 PM PHT

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Senate

bato

Bato dela Rosa

Robin Padilla

alan peter cayetano

osaa

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