The lawyer of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Thursday flatly rejected claims that a shooting incident at the Senate compound was deliberately staged to help the senator leave the premises undetected.
Speaking to reporters shortly after midnight, Israelito Torreon showed videos and photos of Dela Rosa taken at 12:13 a.m. as proof that the senator had not gone anywhere.
“Ito kasi yung crime scene,” Torreon said, holding up his phone to show pictures of the area where the incident occurred. “So fake news yung mga diversion-diversion [tactic], di po totoo yan.”
When pressed on whether the senator had managed to slip out during the commotion, Torreon was dismissive. “Ang dami naming pictures. Gusto mo makita?” he said.
Torreon added that Dela Rosa has remained in the Senate building throughout and has no plans to leave. “He has never left the Senate premises all along,” he said.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla personally came to the Senate to manage the situation, according to Torreon, conducting a room-by-room security sweep of the entire compound alongside the new Senate President.
“Iniisa-isa niya pag check yung lugar. Building per building. Yung room. Dinaanan niya yung mga room,” Torreon said of the operation.
Torreon said he spoke with and shook hands with Remulla during the clearing operation, though he could not confirm whether the Secretary had spoken directly with Dela Rosa.
Despite pressure on the senator to vacate the premises to avoid further strain on the institution, Torreon said his client is not moving. “I think he already stated his reasons why he would not, he would avail of the Senate Protection Resolution that was issued by the new majority,” he said.
