Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano confirmed on Thursday that Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa had already left the Senate premises following the dramatic standoff linked to the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
Speaking to reporters, Cayetano said the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms confirmed that dela Rosa was no longer inside the Senate building.
“Long story short, the sergeant-at-arms confirmed that he’s no longer in the building. I’m waiting for the complete incident report, on what time he left,” Cayetano said.
According to Cayetano, dela Rosa left the Senate “for everyone’s safety” following the heightened tensions and security concerns inside the complex.
Reading from an official report, Cayetano said communications personnel informed the Sergeant-at-Arms that dela Rosa and Senator Robinhood Padilla had exited the Senate compound around 2:30 a.m. on May 14.
“On May 14, 2026, at around 2:30 a.m., the communications sector reported to the sergeant-at-arms that Senator Bato, together with Senator Robinhood Padilla, had left the Senate premises,” Cayetano said.
The Senate President clarified that he had not yet personally spoken to Padilla regarding the circumstances surrounding dela Rosa’s departure.
“I don’t know if they left together or they both left. I’m just reading to you. I haven’t asked. I haven’t talked to Senator Padilla. If they did, there’s nothing illegal with it,” he added.
The confirmation came hours after Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also disclosed that several sources had informed Malacañang that dela Rosa was no longer inside Senate premises.
Cayetano revealed that he only learned about dela Rosa’s departure around lunchtime Thursday after Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked him about the senator’s whereabouts.
The Senate chief also shared that he had received a message from dela Rosa’s wife thanking senators and Senate officials for supporting the embattled lawmaker during the standoff.
Reading her message to reporters, Cayetano said: “I’d also like to ask for forgiveness for all the confusion and havoc it has created in the Senate. It is for this reason I am sure that Ronald made his ‘escape.’”
Cayetano added that dela Rosa supposedly believed his continued stay inside the Senate was creating more tension and placing others at risk.
“He felt everyone’s safety was more important, no matter how safe he felt at the Senate,” Cayetano said.
Dela Rosa had been under Senate protective custody since Monday after National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to serve an ICC-related arrest warrant tied to alleged crimes against humanity connected to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained in The Hague while awaiting trial before the ICC.
