HOURS before the ‘action-packed’ scene at the Senate, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) already knew that Senator Ronald Dela Rosa would resurface after being absent since November last year.
According to Senator Imee Marcos, ousted Senate President Vicente Sotto III ‘sold’ Dela Rosa by coordinating with the NBI which immediately dispatched a team of operatives to the Senate.
Marcos told reporters that it was Sotto who allowed the NBI agents to enter the legislative premises, allowed to ‘kill time’ at the Office of the Senate President where lunch was served for the ‘visitors.’
“Ang nakakapagtaka eh talagang sinasabi ng mga NBI, hindi ko naman na kayang pagalitan, sabi nila nagko-coordinate daw sila sa Senado at hinayaan daw at kinumbida daw sila ng dating Senate President, pinakain pa dun sa kanyang opisina at inanyayahan na dun tumambay.”
In an incident report submitted by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (Ret.) Maj. Gen. Edgardo Rene Samonte to the senate plenary, NBI National Capital Region Director Emeterio Dongallo Jr. met Sotto about the planned operation to serve Dela Rosa with an alleged arrest warrant.
At around 2 p.m. of the same day, the alleged arrest warrant was reportedly shown to Sotto hours before he was ousted as Senate President.
After Sotto’s ouster, newly-installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano presided over a plenary session. Accounts presented during the session, NBI operatives allegedly attempted to approach or serve an order involving Dela Rosa while he was inside the Senate.
CCTV footage shown to senators reportedly captured individuals following the senator through a hallway, believed to be near a fire exit connecting the floors of the building.
The incident escalated after Dela Rosa was reportedly escorted into a room, which was then secured by Senate security personnel. Reports said NBI operatives attempted to enter the room but were blocked, preventing them from reaching the senator.
During the session, the new Senate President questioned the manner by which the NBI conducted the operation, even as he cited the need for the agency to coordinate first with the new Senate leadership instead of chasing Dela Rosa through Senate premises.
“The point I wanted to make is — assuming a fully coordinated yung arrest warrant — they should have approached Senator Bato and the Sergeant-at-Arms, give a copy of the warrant, and negotiate surrender, because they are inside the Senate premises,” Cayetano said.
“Pero instead, nakipaghabulan sila. They attempted to stop Senator Bato from attending the session,” he added.
After the incident, Dela Rosa was placed under Senate protective custody upon the motion of Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
Senator Joel Villanueva also moved to cite in contempt the NBI operatives involved in the alleged attempt to detain or approach Dela Rosa within Senate grounds.
The Senate later on cited the NBI personnel in contempt, and ordered the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms to take them into custody and detain them within the Senate premises.
However, NBI Director Melvin Matibag who came to the Senate later that day managed to strike a deal that resulted in the release of the NBI operatives cited in contempt on the condition that no arrest would be made, until after the Supreme Court decides whether or not to allow Dela Rosa’s arrest.
Dela Rosa, who served as national police chief during the previous administration, has a standing arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in relation to the “crimes against humanity” filed before the international tribunal.