“We are not asking her where her husband is,” National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)’s plan to issue a subpoena
to Nancy dela Rosa is not connected to efforts to determine the
whereabouts of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is currently the
subject of a manhunt based on an International Criminal Court arrest
warrant.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said on Sunday, May 31, the
subpoena being considered for the senator’s wife is based on statements
attributed to her in relation to the aftermath of the shooting incident
inside the Senate on May 14, and not part of any attempt to trace the
senator’s location.
“To be clear, the NBI’s consideration of a
subpoena for Ms. Nancy dela Rosa has nothing to do with locating Senator
Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa. We are not asking her where her husband is,”
Matibag said in a statement.
The NBI on Friday, May 29, announced
that it would also issue a subpoena to Nancy amid an ongoing probe on
the whereabouts of the senator.
Matibag said the bureau is instead
examining claims that Nancy sent a text message relaying that the
senator had “escaped” during the confusion that followed the Senate
shooting incident, and that his continued presence was allegedly placing
others at risk.
“If that account is accurate, it raises a serious
question: was the Senate shooting used as a deliberate diversion to
facilitate the senator’s departure? That is the question the NBI intends
to pursue,” he said.
Matibag further said the agency is also
looking into possible accountability over the incident, as investigators
try to establish whether any party may have directed actions that led
to the chaos inside the Senate premises.
He said those involved in
ordering or orchestrating such actions could be held liable, noting the
risks posed to lawmakers, staff and members of the media during the
incident.
The NBI chief addressed criticisms raised by Sen.
Panfilo Lacson over the planned subpoena, saying he has already spoken
with Lacson to clarify the agency’s position.
On Sunday, Lacson
urged the NBI not to summon Dela Rosa’s wife to determine the fugitive
lawmaker’s whereabouts, calling the move “unprofessional.”
Lacson described the possible subpoena for Nancy as harassment and “trabahong-tamad.”
“Please
don’t do this. Aside from exposing your incompetence in intelligence
work, harassing Senator de la Rosa’s wife to track him is
unprofessional, ‘trabahong-tamad,’” Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief, said.
“That
said, I pledge to ‘insert’ additional intelligence fund for the NBI
during the period of amendments on the 2027 budget measure,” he added.
Dela
Rosa is wanted by the International Criminal Court and has been the
subject of a manhunt since he slipped out of the Senate with Sen.
Robinhood Padilla on May 14.
Nancy had earlier apologized on behalf of her husband for “escaping” after the Senate shooting incident on May 13.