Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña has demanded that Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa surrender to authorities, warning that the senator’s continued evasion of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant is eroding public trust in the Philippine Senate.
Cendaña’s remarks came after dela Rosa reportedly slipped out of the Senate compound before dawn Thursday, days after the chamber had shielded him from law enforcement. A Senate secretariat employee confirmed to a senator that he had left the premises, though his legal team declined to say where he was. The National Bureau of Investigation said it was still working to verify reports of his departure.
“He is like a rat in hiding,” Cendaña said.
Dela Rosa, whose nickname translates to “rock” in Filipino, has been at the center of the ICC’s widening inquiry into the anti-drug campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte. As Duterte’s police chief, he is accused of helping design the crackdown that left thousands dead — charges that mirror those Duterte himself faces as he awaits trial at The Hague.
Law enforcement officers had attempted to arrest dela Rosa on Monday when he made his first public appearance in nearly six months. The Senate moved to place him under its protective custody before the arrest could be executed.
Cendaña did not limit his criticism to the senator. He pointedly questioned the Senate’s leadership for choosing to block the arrest.
“What kind of Senate leadership makes its first agenda shielding from arrest someone wanted for crimes against humanity?” he asked.
The congressman noted that the incident unfolded on just the second day of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s tenure, framing it as an immediate test of institutional credibility.
“As a senator, the best thing for him to do is to surrender,” Cendaña said. “Anything short of that would further affect the integrity of the institution.”
A representative for dela Rosa’s office did not respond to a message seeking comment. The senator’s lawyers also offered no clarity on his current whereabouts.
“Given this blow on the integrity of the institution, the Senate has to take drastic actions to restore people’s confidence in the institution,” Cendaña added.
