Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa deliberately slipped out of the Senate following Wednesday night’s shooting chaos, with his own wife confirming the escape in a message relayed by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano during a press conference Thursday.
“It is for this reason I am sure that Ronald made his ‘escape’,” she said, according to the message read by Cayetano, explaining that dela Rosa left because he knew the Senate would continue to be targeted as long as he remained inside.
Dela Rosa’s wife said the escape was not part of the plan, revealing that when she left the Senate at 9:00 PM Wednesday, the agreement was for her husband to stay put inside the building.
“Nu’ng umalis ako ng Senate, 9:00 PM, para umuwi kami sa bahay, last namin na pag-usapan diyan muna siya mag-stay put. Stay put lang daw siya diyan sa loob kasi safer for him,” she said.
“Nagulat at natakot na lang kami for his safety nu’ng narinig namin na sa labas na siya. Wala sa plano, but knowing him, I am sure he took the opportunity nu’ng nagkaguluhan at nagkaputukan na,” she added.
The wife explained that dela Rosa ultimately decided to leave because he did not want his presence to continue endangering his colleagues in the Senate.
“Alam naming hindi lulusubin ng NBI at CIDG, ang pulis, o sino pang mga militar ang Senate kung wala siya sa loob. Kaya kahit na gaano siya ka-safe diyan, mas nangibabaw pa rin para sa kanya ang safety ng lahat,” she said.
Cayetano confirmed that dela Rosa is no longer inside the Senate building, saying he was informed of the senator’s departure by Senator Jinggoy Estrada around lunchtime Thursday.
“Kinonfirm ng Sergeant-at-Arms that he’s no longer in the building. I’m waiting for the complete incident report kung anong oras umalis,” Cayetano said.
On behalf of her family, dela Rosa’s wife apologized to Cayetano and the other senators for the disorder his presence had caused inside the chamber.
“I’d also like to ask for forgiveness for all the confusion and havoc it has created in the Senate,” she said in the message, expressing gratitude for the support shown to the senator throughout the standoff.
Cayetano said dela Rosa’s wife also sent a message to the 13 senators who voted to install him as Senate President, asking them not to let the senator’s sacrifices go to waste.
“Sa 13, sabi niya sana huwag sayangin ‘yung sakripisyo na ginawa ni Senator Bato. She hopes that we stick together,” Cayetano relayed.
Dela Rosa had been under Senate protective custody since Monday following the presentation of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
The Supreme Court issued no temporary restraining order to block enforcement of the warrant, instead giving parties a non-extendible 72-hour period each to comment on dela Rosa’s petition.
Dela Rosa’s whereabouts remain unknown as of Thursday afternoon, with the Bureau of Immigration confirming that he has not been recorded at any immigration counter in international airports or seaports across the country, indicating he has not left the Philippines as of the time of the report.
