Published May 18, 2026 11:55am + Add GMA on Google Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google. Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s lawyer on Monday said it is up to the senator whether he will appear before the Senate as it is expected to convene as an impeachment court this week, but that it is possible.This comes days after dela Rosa slipped out of the premises of the Senate amid a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him for crimes against humanity.“That is a matter which can only be decided by my client. Again, I only provide alternative courses of action to my client but it is up to my client what to do,” lawyer Israelito Torreon, his legal counsel, told Unang Balita.“Posible ‘yan. He may appear kasi wala naman talagang local warrant of arrest. Pero ‘yung prejudice lang sa kanyang safety, nakita na natin eh. Nu'ng dumating siya sa Senado, muntik na siyang madakip eh. Nadapa pa nga siya,” he added.(That is possible. He may appear because there is really no local warrant of arrest. But we have already seen the prejudice to his safety. When he arrived at the Senate, he almost got arrested. He even fell down.)Dela Rosa is the subject of an arrest warrant for “alleged criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity of murder from July 3, 2016, until the end of April 2018, wherein at least 32 persons died.Authorities attempted to serve the warrant against him on May 11, leading to a chase inside the Senate building. He was later placed under protective custody by the upper chamber before he left the Senate premises on May 14.Torreon reiterated that the ICC warrant must be confirmed by a local court before it can take effect in the country.READ: Is a local warrant needed to arrest Bato Dela Rosa? Lawyers weigh in—KG, GMA News