Newly-elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday, May 13 that he finds Senate Resolution No. 395, which calls on Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender to authorities, as rude.

“May konting kabastusan yung resolution (The resolution is a bit rude). I don’t like making assumptions because assuming (it is) correct, yung sinabi ni Sen. (Ping) Lacson that he will clarify…” Cayetano told reporters in an interview.

“First and foremost, it’s something we’ve been saying na paulit-ulit (repeatedly). that senators, just like any individual can exhaust and should be given the ability to exhaust all legal remedies and then once exhausted, then of course, we will surrender them.

“Usually, the senator themselves surrender, and we will assist,” he pointed out.

Cayetano further pointed out that should any law enforcer come to the Senate carrying an arrest warrant for any member of the Upper Chamber, the leadership will cooperate.

“I will tell them, we will assist you, you can serve it. If the senator claims that he was denied due process, then allow him to file whatever before the courts. If that is exhausted, and still there is a standing warrant of arrest, still this is a foreign warrant of arrest, we don’t even know if it’s valid or not,” the new Senate chief said.

Earlier, five senators—Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV—signed Senate Resolution No.395 asking Dela Rosa to voluntarily surrender to the proper authorities and seek judicial remedies in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws and rules. 

The five senators also urged the Senate to affirm its commitment to the Constitution, the rule of law, and the principle that accountability applies equally to all public officials, regardless of rank or position.

The resolution also asks the Senate to reiterate that it possesses no constitutional 

or statutory authority to provide “protective custody” or sanctuary from lawful arrest, surrender, or judicial processes.