He participated in the leadership change.
On Monday, May 11, Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa finally reappeared as he attended the Senate plenary session for the first time in six months.
The said event led to the ouster of now-former Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto as the new majority bloc elected Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
But before that, a commotion happened as Dela Rosa was chased by alleged agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) who were reportedly arresting the lawmaker.
Hours before all these events, personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) also delivered a subpoena to his office, requesting for his cooperation in an investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings. Although, no one signed the document.
That came as reports about his supposed arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) was already out.
Ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV was also within the halls of the Senate and also shared an alleged copy of the ICC arrest warrant for Dela Rosa.
Back to Dela Rosa, after the leadership shakeup, he raised his concerns over his supposed arrest inside the premises of the Senate.
In his manifestation, meanwhile, Senator Rodante Marcoleta said, “Una, due process and rule of law must be upheld in any surrender or extradition. Kasi po, nangangamba tayo na isusunod na naman si Sen. Bato sa ginawa nila sa dating Pangulo,” referring to the arrest of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte.
He added, “Filipinos not formally charged or convicted have the right to due process and will be guaranteed reasonable time and opportunity to seek redress from the courts and avail of any legal remedies available to them before any transfer to foreign or international authorities.”
Marcoleta also pointed out Senate Resolution No. 44, which is not legally binding, but expresses the Senate’s opposition against extrajudicial rendition, which he suggested may be invoked to resist any attempt to arrest or surrender a sitting senator without due process—even for a non-bailable offense.
“Ito po yung inadopt natin, Mr. President. And there is a relevant precedent,” citing Trillanes as one of those that benefitted from it. “Halimbawa po yung binanggit kanina, former Senator Trillanes. Noong 2018, Mr. President, former Senator Antonio Trillanes avoided arrest by submitting to Senate custody after his amnesty was voided.“
“Ang sabi pa nga po noon ni dating, well, the former president of the Senate, our friend, Vicente Soto III, maintained that no senator would be arrested within Senate premises to preserve the institution’s dignity. Salita po ito ng ating colleague, Mr. President,” he added.
Marcoleta also cited Article 59 of the Rome Statute, saying any person subject to an ICC warrant must first be brought before a competent judicial authority to verify identity, determine whether legal procedures were followed, and ensure that rights are protected.
In light of this, the Senate was locked down, with Senator Dela Rosa also placed under protective custody.
Marcoleta also presented a closed-circuit television footage, showing individuals who allegedly followed Dela Rosa inside the Senate complex earlier in the day.
“We have seen it all. I think this is the best evidence that can prove that the good senator, our colleague in this institution, is being chased by authorities,” said Marcoleta.
He also questioned the involvement of the NBI, and said that international law enforcement coordination should normally pass through the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC), which serves as the country’s Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) counterpart.
In his speech, Marcoleta also criticized former senator Antonio Trillanes IV for publicly presenting what he claimed was a copy of an alleged ICC arrest warrant against dela Rosa.
He described the incident as an “insult” to the Senate and moved that Dela Rosa be placed under Senate protective custody.
Newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano approved the motion after no senator raised any objection and noted dela Rosa would “enjoy the protection of the law and the protection of the Senate” in accordance with Senate rules and Philippine laws.