Members of the House minority bloc are livid over the reported escape of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa from the premises of the Senate following the chaotic chain of events at the upper chamber.

In an X post on Thursday, May 14, Senior Deputy Minority Leader Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima slammed the Senate for allegedly abusing the concept of "protective custody" as it pertained to Dela Rosa, who according to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a wanted man.

“Ang protective custody ay hindi para pagtakpan o patakasin ang aarestuhin. Malinaw: may mga duwag at kasabwat ng duwag sa pananagutan,” De Lima, a former senator and Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary, said.

(Protective custody is not meant to cover up or allow the escape of someone who is to be arrested. Clearly: there are cowards and accomplices of cowards in accountability.)

The statement came after newly-installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano confirmed that Dela Rosa was no longer inside the Senate building.

Dela Rosa, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, is allegedly the subject of an arrest warrant for killings during the previous Duterte administration's bloody war on illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa's appearance in Senate plenary Monday, May 11 was his first since November 2025, or when it was first rumored that an arrest warrant had been issued against him.

Equally irked by Dela Rosa's hightailing into the night were other Minority solons Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, as well as Makabayan members ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co.

Cendaña, in a separate statement Thursday, accused the Senate leadership of helping Dela Rosa evade authorities.

“Pati ang Senado, accessory to the crime. Pati sila, kasabwat sa krimen. Trabaho ng Senado na gumawa ng batas, hindi ang labagin ito,” he said.

(The Senate is also an accessory to the crime. They too are accomplices in the offense. The Senate’s job is to make laws, not to break them.)

“Ang Senado mismo ang sumisira sa kanilang institusyon. Imbes na isuko nila nang mapayapa ang isang taong may warrant of arrest, ginamit nila ang Senado to evade law enforcement,” Cendaña pointed out.

(The Senate itself is destroying its own institution. Instead of peacefully surrendering a person with a warrant of arrest, they used the Senate to evade law enforcement.)

In their own joint statement Thursday, militant solons Tinio, Elago, and Co described the reported incident as “a monumental blunder and a grave injustice to drug war victims".

“The fact that a person wanted by an international tribunal for crimes against humanity could slip out of a heavily secured government institution is a major failure of the Marcos Jr. administration and the Senate leadership, and it is a monumental injustice to the victims and their families,” the trio said.

“It is also further proof that justice for the drug war victims cannot be achieved under our current justice system,” it added.

Cendaña also questioned the priorities of the Senate leadership amid reports surrounding the ICC warrant.

“The senate leadership should explain themselves before the widows and orphans of extrajudicial killings. They owe the Filipino people more than livestreams and excuses,” he said.

Cendaña said the incident underscored the need for Dela Rosa to face proceedings before the ICC. “This is exactly why Bato should be tried in the ICC. Walang hustisya sa bansang ito para sa mga biktima ng Tokhang (There's no justice in this country for Tokhang victims)."

The Makabayan further called the reported departure of Dela Rosa from the Senate as “a national embarrassment and a clear demonstration of how impunity works in practice when the accused is powerful and well-connected".

The trio has also called for an explanation from Senate officials and security personnel, saying the public deserved answers on how Dela Rosa was allegedly able to leave the premises despite reports surrounding the ICC warrant.

“The Senate leadership and security officials must immediately explain how dela Rosa was able to leave and who facilitated, enabled, or ordered lapses in security,” the militant solons said.

The unprecedented shooting incident at the Senate--which raised tensions a great deal on Wednesday night--must also be clarified, they said.

“The reported shooting incident that coincided with developments around the warrant raises serious questions on whether it was staged or exploited as a diversion to cover an escape,” they said.

“Dapat linawin ng Senado at ng PNP (Philippine National Police) kung ginamit ang insidenteng ito bilang panakip-butas. Kailangang may managot sa anumang sabwatan at kapabayaan,” it added.

(The Senate and the PNP must clarify whether this incident was used as a cover-up. There must be accountability for any collusion and negligence.)

The militant lawmakers has urged the administration of President Marcos to arrest Dela Rosa and ensure he faces proceedings before the ICC at The Hague.

“The full resources of the state must be deployed to locate him, take him into custody, and bring him to justice,” they said.

“The government has a duty to uphold accountability, not to tolerate evasion or provide backdoor protection to high-ranking officials accused of grave crimes. Hindi dapat maging kanlungan ng mga pinaghihinalaang kriminal ang Senado (The Senate must not become a place for coddling suspected criminals),” they added.