FUGITIVE Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa must have been elsewhere — and laughing out loud after successfully pulling off a vanishing act right under the nose of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
In a news article which first appeared in politiko.com, Dela Rosa reportedly managed to leave the Senate complex in the early hours of Thursday morning (May 14), hours after a chaotic night marked by a lockdown, gunfire scare, and heightened tensions over reports of a possible International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest operation.
Citing its source, Dela Rosa allegedly left the Senate between 3:00 to 4:00 early today (May 14). He was reportedly accompanied by Sen. Robin Padilla.
However, lawyer Israelito Torreon in his capacity as Dela Rosa’s legal counsel, dismissed what he referred to as conspiracy theories that the shooting incident at the Senate was a “diversionary tactic” to allow the senator to escape the premises.
He also categorically shrugged off claims that what happened inside the Senate building was part of a plan primarily designed to allow Dela Rosa’s escape.
“Ito kasi yung crime scene,” Torreon said, referring to the area where the incident occurred while showing pictures on his phone. “So fake news yung mga diversion-diversion [tactic], di po totoo yan.”
When asked if Dela Rosa remains in the Senate building, Torreon replied: “Ang dami naming pictures. Gusto mo makita?,” adding that the senator has no plans to leave his current location.
“He has never left the Senate premises all along.”
According to Torreon, the DILG chief arrived at around 9:00 p.m. (May 13) in the Senate to manage the situation — “He personally conducted a clearing operation with the new Senate President.”
“Inisa-isa niya pag check yung lugar. Building per building. Yung room. Dinaanan niya yung mga room,” the lawyer added.
Dela Rosa has been seeking refuge inside the Senate building since Monday night (May 11) after the complex was placed under lockdown following a scuffle and chase scene that saw the senator hurdling to reach the session hall.
He claimed to have been wrestled by the operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) who were deployed to serve him an ICC-related arrest warrant tied to his role in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
On Wednesday night, gunshots were fired inside the Senate compound, causing panic among staff and the evacuation of media personnel.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano later confirmed in a Facebook Live broadcast that gunfire had erupted while senators were holding a caucus. He also claimed unidentified individuals were allegedly attempting to enter the building through the GSIS side of the Senate compound.
