At large again: Bato dela Rosa sneaks out of Senate

LAST LOOK: Lawyer Israelito Torreon (right) posted this photo on social media late Wednesday night to prove that his client, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, remained at the Senate building — at least shortly after the shooting incident. —Photo from a Facebook post by Israelito Torreon

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa made a predawn escape on Thursday from the Senate, where he was given safe refuge after agents from the National Bureau of Investigation failed to arrest him earlier in the week on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

The senator slipped out around 2:30 a.m., hours after gunshots erupted inside the Senate building, throwing staff and journalists into panic as personnel from the chamber’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (Osaa) exchanged fire with a group of unidentified armed men.

Dela Rosa left “together with” Sen. Robinhood Padilla, one of his staunchest allies, according to Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, quoting a report by Osaa. Cayetano said the report did not say whether the two senators rode in the same vehicle.

Article continues after this advertisement