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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider On his own again? Dela Rosa ditched Senate protection when he fled, says Ridon

On his own again? Dela Rosa ditched Senate protection when he fled, says Ridon

Published May 16, 2026 04:09 pm

At A Glance

  • Rep. Terry Ridon says Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is no longer under Senate protective custody after leaving the premises, noting that custody ends once a person exits the grounds.
  • Ridon emphasizes that the 16-vote threshold to convict Vice President Sara Duterte in the upcoming impeachment trial remains unchanged regardless of suspensions or absences.
  • He adds that the preventive suspension of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca should not hinder the Senate's convening as an impeachment court, since deputies can secure the institution.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)


For lawyer-solon Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is technically no longer under the protection of Senate.

Ridon explained why this was the case during a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, May 16.

During the forum, the veteran lawmaker was asked about the decision of the Senate to give Dela Rosa protective custody last Monday, May 11 when National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents tried to arrest him on the strength of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

“Ayoko na pag-usapan ‘yun kasi syempre mga senador naman po ‘yung magpapaliwanag po dun pero paliwanag ko na lang halimbawa ang protective custody sa House ‘no kung saan may actual ako na kararanasan,” Ridon said.

(I don’t want to talk about that because of course it is the senators who will explain it, but I will just explain, for example, protective custody in the House where I actually had experience.)

Ridon recalled that the House of Representatives--the other legislative chamber in Philippine Congress--gave protective custody to some flood control scam witnesses during its investigation into alleged food control projects-related corruption.

“Noong kasagsagan ng flood control proceedings, nagkaroon ng protective custody sa ilang mga resource persons involved sa Bulacan flood control. So grinant po ito sa kanila, pero nag-decision sila na parang ayaw nilang manatili sa House area…noong umalis sila, nawala na yung protective custody,” Ridon, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP), said.

(During the height of the flood control proceedings, there was protective custody granted to some resource persons involved in Bulacan flood control. It was granted to them, but they decided they did not want to stay in the House area…when they left, the protective custody was gone.)

He noted that Dela Rosa’s exit from the Senate on Thursday after the shooting incident should have the same effect.

“So, I think similar to the situation of Sen. Bato, ganoon din po ‘yung practical effect na ‘yan (that is the practical effect). So the moment that they actually left the House or Senate grounds, there was no more protective custody,” he said. Dela Rosa--a wanted man in the eyes of the International Criminal Court (ICC)--resurfaced at the Senate last Monday after a five-month absence wherein he reportedly went into hiding. He was given protective custody by the Senate leadership. His current whereabouts are unknown. 
Still 16
Ridon, who is a member of the House prosecution panel in the upcoming Senate trial of the twice-impeached Vice President Duterte, also said the expected absence of Dela Rosa in the Senate--particularly on Monday, May 18 when it is convened as an impeachment court and possibly proceeds to trial--would have no effect on the required vote for conviction.

He said the threshold vote of 16 out of 24 senators to convict the Vice President does not change.

“Hindi ho nagbabago ‘yung threshold vote na kailangan po to convict an impeachable official. So 16 parin po ‘yun ang kailangan pong boto to convict (The threshold vote needed to convict an impeachable official does not change. So it is still 16 votes required to convict). So irrespective of any suspension, it is still a 16-vote threshold that the prosecution will need to surmount to convict the Vice President,” he explained.

He likewise said the preventive suspension of acting Senate Sergent-at-Arms Mao Aplasca by the Office of the Ombudsman should not delay the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court on Monday, as announced by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano

He said Alpaca’s deputies could take over the job of protecting senators and the Senate premises.

 
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