The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Wednesday, May 27, that it will issue subpoenas to individuals connected to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, following a raid on a Pampanga property linked to a relative of his close ally, Senator Robin Padilla.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that agents from the NBI and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) targeted a residence in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City. The property reportedly belongs to Padilla’s uncle and was flagged by intelligence sources as a potential hideout for the former police chief.
Dela Rosa is currently evading an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant concerning alleged crimes against humanity during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
“The National Bureau of Investigation is preparing to invite the people who were last with, spoke to, or had contact with Senator Bato so they can shed light on the matter. In the coming days, we will subpoena personalities who have had contact with him. We are preparing the subpoenas already at the NBI,” Matibag stated in a radio interview.
While the operation did not result in dela Rosa’s arrest, Matibag emphasized that the raid helped investigators map out the fugitive lawmaker’s support network.
“There were really identified areas that, according to reports reaching us, were places where Senator Bato was supposedly staying. So we visited these areas to verify and validate the reports that Senator Bato was there,” Matibag said. “So far, none of the places we visited has yielded a positive result. What we have established is that the places we went to were somehow connected to Senator Bato or had contact or a relationship with him.”
According to the NBI, the Angeles City home became a focal point after investigators tracked a vehicle spotted at the subdivision back to dela Rosa’s escape from the Senate two weeks ago.
Dela Rosa vanished from the Senate premises on May 14, shortly after a brief appearance on May 11 to vote for newly installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
He allegedly fled the compound in Padilla’s vehicle following a shooting incident on the premises, effectively abandoning the protective custody the Senate had granted him.
“Based on the identification of the vehicles, it turned out that one of the vehicles was present [in the subdivision] during the time Senator Bato Dela Rosa disappeared,” Matibag explained.
Authorities concluded with a stern warning to anyone assisting the senator, reiterating that harboring a wanted individual carries severe legal consequences.
“We know that aiding and abetting and harboring a fugitive from justice carry a corresponding penalty under our laws, and we will not hesitate to use it against anyone we find out is doing so,” Matibag warned.