A protester holds a placard of Philippine Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during a rally calling for his arrest, outside the Senate in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Wednesday. Photo by Rolex Dela Pena/EPA
Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa appeared to have left the Philippine Senate on Thursday and his whereabouts were unknown, officials said, deepening a political crisis in Manila as the International Criminal Court seeks the arrest of the former national police chief accused of committing crimes against humanity.
“As of 11:09 a.m., several sources confirmed that the senator, Sen. Bato, is no longer in the Senate premises, but we are still getting official confirmation on the report,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters at a press conference.
The ICC unsealed a months-old arrest warrant for Dela Rosa, 64, on Monday, accusing him of the crime against humanity of murder in connection with the alleged killing of no fewer than 32 people as the Philippine National Police chief during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
Following a monthslong absence from the Senate, Dela Rosa appeared Monday in the plenary session, before the ICC arrest warrant was announced but amid reports it would soon be made public.
Dela Rosa has alleged that National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to block his entry into the Senate Session Hall, and asked the Supreme Court in a filing to stop his arrest, detention or transfer without prior judicial authorization, the high court’s press release said.
On Tuesday, the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said sitting senators have privilege from arrest while Congress is in session and the accused is within the premises. However, the privilege does not apply to those whose alleged offenses are punishable by more than six years’ imprisonment.
Dela Rosa’s apparent departure came after shots were fired in the Senate on Wednesday night.
It was not clear Thursday who fired the shots. Philippine officials said an investigation was ongoing. Dela Rosa had called on supports visa social media to protest and mobilize.
“We are coordinating such that we can go to the bottom of the case,” Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in the Thursday press conference.
“The personalities who are involved should be accounted for and fully investigated.”
