The Senate’s alleged coddling of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa--declared a wanted man by the International Criminal Court (ICC)--has left a bad taste in the mouths of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña.

That's why the two House minority bloc officials are calling for an independent, no-nonsense investigation into the Senate’s handling of Dela Rosa, including his protective custody, later disappearance, and the events that triggered chaos inside the institution.

“Nakakalungkot at nakakagigil, at (It's saddening and infuriating and) there has to be an investigation,” De Lima, herself a former senator, said in a chance interview Friday, May 15.

Dela Rosa--sought by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s drug war--had taken refuge at the Senate last Monday before reportedly leaving the premises after days of controversy over his protective custody and an attempt by authorities to serve or enforce an arrest warrant.

“Kailangan may investigation sa mga pangyayari yung nakaraang dalawa o tatlong araw sa Senado. Dahil nakakabahala, it’s very concerning, hindi dapat ’yan nangyayari sa isang institusyon like the Senate,” De Lima said.

(There needs to be an investigation into the events of the past two or three days in the Senate. Because it is alarming, very concerning, and such things should not happen in an institution like the Senate.)

The call came as questions continued to mount over the Senate’s role in shielding Dela Rosa, the reported shooting inside the Senate building Wednesday and the effect of the Senate leadership shake-up on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“And it has to be an independent investigation. Hindi puwedeng internal o hindi puwedeng ang Senado mismo ang mag-imbestiga (It cannot be internal, nor can the Senate itself conduct the investigation)," said the senior deputy minority leader.

De Lima argued that the Senate cannot credibly investigate itself because the case involves actions taken inside the chamber, including the decision to place Dela Rosa under protective custody.

The former senator also raised the most immediate question left unanswered by Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate.

“And yun na nga, kung binigyan ng protective custody, bakit nakawala? So ang daming mga tanong na dapat sagutin sa isang tunay, isang independent na investigation,” she said.

(And so, if protective custody was given, why did he escape? There are so many questions that must be answered in a genuine, independent investigation.)

De Lima proposed that the probe be handled by credible investigators outside the Senate, given the institutional issues raised by the episode.

“It goes into the very integrity, the very dignity of an institution like Senate, a democratic institution. So dapat yung talagang very credible na komposisyon ng mga mag-imbestiga (So the composition of those who will investigate must be truly credible)."

De Lima also rejected the claim that an ICC warrant must first be converted into a local warrant before any action may be taken against Dela Rosa.

“Wala pong gano’ng requirement na kailangan muna ng isang warrant of arrest from a local court (There is no requirement that a warrant of arrest must first come from a local court). This is a validly issued warrant of arrest by a tribunal, an international tribunal of competent jurisdiction,” stated the ex-Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary.

She cited Republic Act (RA) No. 9851, which she said allows the state to surrender a person subject to investigation or prosecution before an international tribunal.

“Yung Republic Act (RA) No. 9851 na binibigyan ng estado ng karapatan na isurrender ang isang subject of investigation or prosecution sa isang international tribunal na sagsasagawa na ng investigation at trial, wala pong nakasabi doon na kailangan muna ng isang warrant of arrest galing sa isang domestic court,” De Lima clarified.

(Republic Act No. 9851 grants the state the authority to surrender a subject of investigation or prosecution to an international tribunal conducting investigation and trial. It does not say that a warrant of arrest from a domestic court is needed first.)

Cendaña, for his part, said the Senate’s credibility had already been damaged by the events of the past days. He warned that further delay in the impeachment process would only deepen public disgust.

“Nakita natin kung paano nagmaniobra yung mga kampon ni Duterte para protektahan ang isang pugante. At the same time, alam naman natin ang ulterior motive ng lahat ng ito ay para protektahan si VP Sara Duterte,” he stressed.

(We have seen how Duterte’s allies maneuvered to protect a fugitive. At the same time, we know the ulterior motive of all this is to protect Vice President Sara Duterte.)

“So we have here an institution of government that just coddles fugitives but also acts as a protector of those who violate the law and those who abuse power,” Cendaña added.

Cendaña also said the gunfire incident inside the Senate must be investigated to determine who set the events in motion and who benefited from them.

“Kinakailangan lumabas ’yan sa imbestigasyon pero sa dulo simple lang naman: Malalaman natin kung sino may pakana, kung sino ang pinaka-nakinabang,” Cendaña stated.

(This must come out in the investigation, but in the end it is simple: we will know who orchestrated it and who benefited the most.)