Joselito Malig

NBI chief says Davao visit not linked to Bato arrest

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<p>DAVAO CITY — National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Atty. Melvin Matibag clarified that his visit to Davao City on Friday was not related to efforts to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, but to the recent raid on a steel manufacturing facility. </p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2088138151927894454&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-14T10%3A51%3A00.226469%3Af7d5acef-700d-4311-a9b9-3b9c8468847f%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=ef66db1142c1cb29e4b1aa9cb6bc8000029c3459&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:absolute;visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;display:block;flex-grow:1"></iframe></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560" data-twitter-extracted-i1786707309473608867="true"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">“Ang nahuli namin hindi bato, [kundi] bakal.”<br/><br/>Nilinaw ni NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag na ang pakay nila sa Davao ay ang sinalakay na steel manufacturing facility na nagsusuplay ng substandard na mga bakal at hindi ang pag-aresto kay Senador Bato Dela Rosa. <a href="https://x.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/vTLeSGN2yq">pic.twitter.com/vTLeSGN2yq</a></p>— Karen De Guzman (@_KarenDeGuzman) <a href="https://x.com/_KarenDeGuzman/status/2088138151927894454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2026</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Matibag attended a press briefing in Davao, prompting speculation online that he was there as part of efforts to locate the senator, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).</p><p>“Nandito kami sa Davao. Ang nahuli namin hindi bato, bakal,” Matibag said.</p><p>The NBI chief confirmed, however, that a team is tracking Dela Rosa and monitoring areas where he may be located. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/12/paras-camp-questions-public-release-of-cctv-footage-nbi-denies-releasing-the-video-1753"><strong>Paras camp questions public release of CCTV footage; NBI denies releasing the video</strong></a></div><p>“Well, the same situation, we have a team who is tracking him under surveillance. We identified some areas that we are monitoring up to now. So I hope sooner than later we can make our operations kung talagang sigurado na kami doon sa location,” Matibag said.</p><p>He declined to disclose the location being monitored.</p><p>Asked if Dela Rosa was in Mindanao, Matibag replied: “It’s in the Philippines.”</p><p>Dela Rosa was last seen publicly at the Senate with fellow Senator Robin Padilla. </p><p>The ICC is seeking his arrest in connection with its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war. </p><p>Meanwhile, Matibag also downplayed reports that the NBI was aware of a warrant of arrest against Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>“I don’t think so because I heard nag-file siya ng parang motion to dismiss yata. So let’s wait for the ruling of the court in RTC (Regional Trial Court) Quezon City on what will be the ruling on the pending omnibus motions and kung meron bang in-issue na warrant of arrest,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/14/nbi-substandard-steel-found-at-davao-city-manufacturing-facility-1412"><strong>Gov’t raids Davao City facility allegedly manufacturing substandard steel</strong></a></div><p>The case against Duterte involves an alleged grave threat.</p><p>Matibag clarified that the NBI did not directly file the case in court.</p><p>“It’s the DOJ. It’s the NBI which filed the case to the DOJ, and the DOJ to the NPS (National Prosecution Service) filed the case sa RTC ng Quezon City,” he said. </p><p>The Vice President is also facing an impeachment case before the Senate, separate from the criminal proceedings in Quezon City.</p><p>The Senate has yet to complete the impeachment process against Duterte as the case moves through the constitutional proceedings.</p>

<p>“Nandito kami sa Davao. Ang nahuli namin hindi bato, bakal,” Matibag said.</p>