Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano confirmed on Thursday, May 14, 2026, that embattled Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is facing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), is no longer within the premises of the Senate.
In a press conference, Cayetano said based on a report from the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, Dela Rosa left together with Senator Robin Padilla around 2:30 a.m., hours after the shooting incident inside the Senate on May 13, 2026.
Cayetano said Dela Rosa’s wife, in a text message to him, apologized for the “escape” of the lawmaker, who was placed under Senate protective custody, preventing his arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, May 11.
Dela Rosa’s wife also expressed gratitude to the Senate for supporting her husband.
“I also like to ask for forgiveness for all the confusion and havoc it has created in the Senate,” Cayetano said, as he read the text message of Dela Rosa’s wife.
“He told me habang tumatagal kasi siya diyan sa loob ay mas nadadamay pa kayo. Alam naming hindi lulusubin ng NBI at CIDG o pulis o sinumang military ang Senate kung wala siya sa loob, kaya kahit na gaano siya ka-safe diyan ay mas nangibabaw pa rin sa kanya ang safety ng lahat,” the text message added.
Cayetano vehemently denied that the tension in the Senate on May 13 was “staged” to allow Dela Rosa to leave the Senate premises, maintaining that the Senate has been under attack.
“Kung tututukan kita ng baril, papasukin ko bahay mo na may baril ako nagwarning shot ka, pinutukan kita pabalik, is it not an attack? I don’t think there is any question. The Senate was under attack. All of you, your lives were in danger last night… You will tell me pag may nagpaputok ng warning shot, hindi under attack yun?” he said.
“Kagabi nagko-caucus kami dito (kagabi), hinihintay namin ang Articles of Impeachment. Nakita ninyo naman ang lahat ng nangyari, napakagaling ko naman mag-orchestrate ng lahat na yan, kaya kong papuntahin dito ang mga armadong grupo? If you have any doubt, you are doubting our democracy, not me,” he added.
Cayetano also reiterated that there is no legal basis to arrest Dela Rosa just yet, noting that neither one of them has seen the copy of the arrest warrant. He said he asked for a copy of the ICC issued warrant from NBI Director Melvin Matibag but he is yet to give it to him.
The NBI attempted but failed to serve the arrest warrant of Dela Rosa as he made a comeback on May 11, 2026, after being absent for six months. Dela Rosa, who was identified as a co-perpetrator of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte in the crime against humanity of murder during the implementation of drug war, has been placed by the Senate under its protective custody until he is able to exhaust all legal remedies to protect himself from being arrested.
On Wednesday evening, May 13, several gunshots were heard in the Senate amid alleged efforts by the NBI to arrest Dela Rosa.
