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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider No arrest for Bato tonight as NBI pulls out of Senate premises

No arrest for Bato tonight as NBI pulls out of Senate premises

Published May 11, 2026 10:44 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said the National Bureau of Investigation did not pursue the arrest of Senator Ronald dela Rosa after learning of the Senate's official position and calls to let the courts handle the matter.
  • Cayetano said the Senate and the NBI agreed to conduct a fact-finding investigation into the incident involving nine NBI agents, who will remain under NBI custody pending explanation orders.
  • The Senate president urged authorities to follow due process and secure court warrants instead of attempting arrests inside the Senate, saying it would strengthen public trust in Philippine institutions.
Newly-elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday night May 11, said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) decided not to pursue the arrest of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa within Senate premises.
Senator Ronald
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa (Senate of the Philippines photo)
In an interview, Cayetano said NBI Director Melvin Matibag informed him that agents backed off from arresting Dela Rosa after learning of Senate Resolution (SR) No. 44 and the manifestation made by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, which asserted that the issue should pass through the courts.
Cayetano added that Matibag told him the entry of NBI personnel into the Senate complex was coordinated with Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.
However, Cayetano questioned the conduct of the agents, particularly the eventual chase targeting Dela Rosa inside the Senate.
“So ang balik namin sa kanya, coordinated man ang pagpasok nyo, hindi naman siguro tama o wala naman siguro nagbigay ng pahintulot makipag-habulan (So our response to him was: even if your entry was coordinated, surely it still wasn’t proper—or no one had given permission—for you to chase someone around),” he said.
The Senate chief said both sides agreed to conduct a fact-finding investigation into the incident. He clarified that the matter involving the nine NBI personnel was being treated as a contempt case and not yet as a criminal or administrative complaint.
Cayetano said the NBI director assured him the agents would remain under agency's custody and would not be released pending an explanation.
“He will hold them in the NBI, he will ask them to explain, then write me officially tomorrow,” he said.
When asked if Dela Rosa could still face arrest on Tuesday, May 12, Cayetano said the situation would depend on how other government institutions respond.
“But ang appeal ko sa kanila, palakasin natin ang mga korte sa Pilipinas. Walang mawawala sa atin kung maga-apply sila ng warrants sa korte at pababayaan nila yung due process (But my appeal to them is this: let’s strengthen the courts in the Philippines. We lose nothing if they apply for warrants through the courts and allow due process to take its course),” he said.
Cayetano also said the NBI would no longer be allowed to enter Senate premises without authorization.

Related Tags

Ronald \'Bato\' Dela Rosa Alan Peter Cayetano Senate of the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation
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