The legal counsels of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said the lawmaker remains in the Senate as some quarters suspected that the gunfire that erupted in the building was meant as a diversionary tactic to allow him to sneak out.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon showed media some photos as proof that the senator is still in the Senate. Photos shown include a selfie of the two with the time 12:13 a.m. on Thursday, May 14.
There is also a video showing Dela Rosa visiting the exact spot where the shooting took place.
Jimmy Bondoc, another lawyer for Dela Rosa, also said the senator is still in the Senate after the shooting in the Senate on Wednesday night, May 13.
Dela Rosa went on Facebook live at past 5 p.m. on Wednesday to call on his supporters to hold a vigil outside the Senate building, saying he received information that operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police were on their way to arrest him.
“I’m calling on you to help me. Don’t let another Filipino get flown to The Hague,” he said in Filipino. “Come here, help us. Let’s have a vigil in front of the Senate.”
He reminded his audience that he is a dedicated police officer and that Filipinos should not allow another Filipino to suffer the fate of former president Duterte, who was taken to The Hague to stand trial.
Also on Wednesday, Dela Rosa made an impassioned plea for “peaceful support” and even sang the Philippine Military Academy hymn.
Dela Rosa said the PMA hymn should be a reminder for the soldiers to uphold the country’s sovereignty against interference from a foreign court like the ICC.
“I am not appealing for a violent support. I am appealing for a peaceful support,” he said.
While maintaining that the ICC arrest warrant remains “alive,” the NBI earlier it was not serving it to Dela Rosa at the moment.
The PNP-CIDG meanwhile, recalled its subpoena to the embattled senator that would have required his appearance today before investigators to answer allegations of extrajudicial killings during his stint as chief of the Davao City and Davao region police offices.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the withdrawal was in deference to the Senate protection order on Dela Rosa.
The NBI attempted to arrest Dela Rosa on Monday, May 11, when he showed up at the Senate for the first time in six months, but the operation only led to a chase, with the senator shown on surveillance video running away from authorities and stumbling while hurriedly climbing a flight of stairs.
The new majority bloc would later issue a contempt citation against the NBI agents and assure Dela Rosa of protective custody while the chamber is in session.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag insisted that the agency was in “close coordination” with the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms and in “constant coordination” with the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime while enforcing the warrant.
The NBI chief said the agency would conduct its own investigation on the matter and would speak with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano about the contempt citation.
Matibag urged Dela Rosa, a former police chief, to voluntarily surrender to prevent further trouble.
“He’s from law enforcement, and to avoid all these things, it’s better for him to surrender to authorities so that we can carry out the proper process and to avoid further problem that drags many people,” he said.
The CIDG, meanwhile, said the senator had already been informed of the withdrawal of the subpoena. Despite the withdrawal, Tuaño said the CIDG would continue its investigation on alleged killings attributed to Dela Rosa.
“Once the Senate protection order is settled, the CIDG will serve a new subpoena to Senator Bato dela Rosa,” Tuaño said.
Speaking from The Hague, Vice President Sara Duterte said the NBI’s action was an indication that “the administration does not understand what sovereignty means.”
“Well, it’s sad because other agencies do not respect the independence of the Senate. And it’s a shame because we have fellow Filipinos, especially the administration, who do not understand what sovereignty means,” Duterte said. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong, EJ Macababbad, Bella Cariaso