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.

Article (news)

SENATE- DELA ROSA

Jessie Cruzat

Karen De Guzman

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/177915670425920260513-senate-ronald-bato-dela-rosa-MT4.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-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday said authorities have leads on the whereabouts of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, but declined to provide details due to the ongoing investigation. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/did-robin-padilla-help-bato-leave-senate-2030">Did Robin Padilla help Bato leave Senate?</a></div><p>Matibag added that if there is anyone who may know Dela Rosa’s location, it would be Senator Robinhood Padilla.</p><p>Padilla on Monday said Dela Rosa was supposedly hiding from an alleged kidnapper, which is why he left the Senate last May 14. Padilla refused to answer if he helped Dela Rosa leave the Senate premises last Thursday amid claims that they left together.</p><p>“Mahirap naman po mag-announce na nandiririto siya kasi people try to speculate,” Matibag said in a press briefing. “Marami pong lead na binigay, but we have a lead kung nasaan talaga pero in the meantime we will suspend ‘yong announcement kung nasaan talaga siya.” </p><p>“If there’s somebody or person that should be asked, ang unang-unang dapat tanungin si Senator Robin Padilla dahil siya ‘yong huling kasama,” he added.</p><p>Dela Rosa, a former national police chief who oversaw the previous administration’s war on drugs, has an outstanding warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F961007266574806%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Matibag urged Dela Rosa to face the legal process and respond to the ICC warrant.</div><p>“Galing siya sa law enforcement… it&#x27;s better na harapin niya ‘yung warrant niya, mag-submit siya. Harapin niya ‘yung kanyang pananagutan sa batas,” Matibag said. </p><p>The NBI chief stressed that the ICC warrant remains active and that Philippine law enforcement agencies are obligated to monitor developments and coordinate under existing commitments to the international tribunal.</p><p>“Nasa wanted list siya ng ICC. So, we have a commitment to the International Criminal Court. As a law enforcement, naka-monitor tayo,” Matibag said, adding that operational details on monitoring efforts are being withheld to avoid compromising law enforcement activities.</p><p>Matibag also noted that Dela Rosa’s camp has filed a petition before the Supreme Court, saying authorities will await the court’s ruling while continuing coordination among agencies.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE BODYCAM FOOTAGE RELEASED  </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1391852392751168%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong>Meanwhile, the NBI has released new body-worn camera footage showing that the arrested NBI driver linked to the recent Senate gunfire incident was not carrying any firearm and was in a different area when the shooting occurred.</div><p>Authorities earlier said no firearm was recovered from the suspect, though ammunition was allegedly found in his sling bag.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/-wala-akong-pinaputok-nbi-driver-says-he-was-unarmed-denies-firing-gun-inside-senate-0731">&#x27;Wala akong pinaputok&#x27;: NBI driver says he was unarmed, denies firing gun inside Senate </a></div><p>The NBI volunteer also <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/nbi-driver-linked-to-senate-shooting-tests-positive-for-gunpowder-nitrates-0018">tested positive for gunpowder nitrates</a>, but officials cautioned that this alone does not conclusively prove involvement in firing a weapon.</p><p>Matibag said it is possible that the residue came from the second floor of the Senate building, where the gunfire incident occurred and where the suspect was brought after he was arrested from the GSIS building.</p><p>“In the chain of custody, dapat nakukuha mo ‘yong baril tapos ipa-paraffin mo siya. That is the possibility na nagpaputok ng baril but pwede ka ring nakakuha ng nitrate, no’ng gunpowder in other means. Halimbawa ‘yong humawak sa’yo kung meron gunpowder sa kamay,” Matibag added.</p><p>“Nakita ko when he was arrested from the GSIS, dinala siya sa Senate lounge sa second floor, idinapa siya kung saan mismo nagpaputok nang nagpaputok ng baril ‘yong mga OSAA.”</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F977567554761109%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>The NBI driver has since been temporarily released after<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/nbi-driver-tagged-in-senate-shooting-freed-after-posting-bail-1658"> posting bail </a>on Monday. He remains one of the subjects of an ongoing investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).</div><p>The NBI director also insisted that their agents were at the GSIS Building solely to secure the area upon the request of GSIS General Manager John Arnulfo Veloso on May 13.</p><p>He clarified that they were not there to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, but only to “monitor the situation without entering the Senate premises.”</p><p>“Kung narinig n’yo ‘yong video, ang sinasabi no’ng mga agent, ‘Do not engage!’ Do not engage!’ Kaya kami nag-retreat… Walang assault. Walang service [of arrest warrant],” Matibag said. </p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously said that he had given no instruction to arrest Dela Rosa. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MATIBAG SUSPENSION?   </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Matibag also responded to the appeal of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano asking the Ombudsman to suspend him following the gunfire incident.</p><p>According to Matibag, if command responsibility is the basis of Cayetano’s argument, then the senator should also be suspended because the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms is under his supervision.</p><p>“Unang-una po hindi naman ako nandoon na nagpaputok ng baril. Siguro ang sinasabi because I’m the head of the NBI kaya dapat suspendihin ako dahil command responsibility ko ‘yong mga tao, e kung gano’n po ‘yong magiging basehan, ang unang-una pong sususpendihin si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano dahil command responsibility niya [ang Office of the] Sergeant-at-Arms, e. In fact, inaamin ni Sergeant-at-Arms sila ang nag-uusap doon sa pangyayari,” he said. </p><p>On Monday, the Senate received the preventive suspension order against Acting OSAA chief Mao Aplasca and the subpoena for a copy of the CCTV footage related to the gunfire incident.</p><p>The Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, and the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have formed an investigating panel to probe the incident, Matibag added. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong><strong></strong><br/></div><div><strong><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/GEE57iY56sI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The NBI added that if there is anyone who may know Sen. Dela Rosa’s location, it would be Senator Robinhood Padilla.</p>

The NBI added that if there is anyone who may know Sen. Dela Rosa’s location, it would be Senator Robinhood Padilla.

NBI says has 'leads' on Dela Rosa's whereabouts

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NBI says has 'leads' on Dela Rosa's whereabouts

Jessie Cruzat,

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 19, 2026 10:17 AM PHT

|

Updated May 19, 2026 12:49 PM PHT

Read More:

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bato dela rosa

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