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Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano holds a press briefing at the Senate on Wednesday, claiming he did not know on Sunday night, May 10, whether Sen. Bato dela Rosa would come to the Senate.
The STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano admitted that Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa rode in his car when the embattled senator returned to the upper chamber on May 11 after months out of public view.
At plenary on Wednesday, May 13, Cayetano made the disclosure after Sen. Pia Cayetano denied an earlier claim by Sen. Panfilo Lacson that Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, arrived at the Senate in her vehicle.
"For the record, sa kotse ko sumakay si Sen. Bato," Cayetano said during plenary. (For the record, Sen. Bato rode in my car.)
The newly installed Senate president said Dela Rosa had asked him how he could safely enter the Senate.
"I was aghast, senador ka eh bakit may problema kang pumasok?" Cayetano recalled telling him. (I was aghast. You're a senator, why are you having problems entering?)
"Kaya sinabi ko sa akin ka na sumakay," he added. (So I told him to just ride with me.)
Return tied to Senate coup
Both Cayetano siblings claimed they did not initially know Dela Rosa would appear that Monday.
However, Alan Peter later acknowledged he knew by May 11 that Dela Rosa was coming.
After six months away from Senate sessions, Dela Rosa resurfaced to participate in the vote that ousted Senate President Vicente Sotto III and installed Cayetano as the chamber's new leader.
Dela Rosa's appearance at the Senate was followed by a dramatic pursuit inside the complex as National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to serve an ICC arrest warrant against him.
Cayetano earlier said people had been speaking with him "for the longest time" before the leadership shakeup.
In a separate radio interview on May 13, Dela Rosa confirmed he had spoken with Cayetano before returning to the Senate.
"Yung aming majority, yung aming minority leader, si Sen. Alan Cayetano.... Yan lang ang nakausap ko," Dela Rosa said in an interview with Ted Failon and DJ Chacha. (Our majority, our minority leader, Sen. Alan Cayetano... he was the only one I spoke with.)
"Kailangan para magkaroon ng majority. Kailangan nandyan ako para bumoto. Isang rason yan bakit ako nagsumite," he added. (It was necessary to secure a majority. I needed to be there to vote. That was one of the reasons I showed up.)
ICC case. The ICC has accused Dela Rosa of being an indirect co-perpetrator in crimes committed between July 2016 and April 2018 that allegedly resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people during the Duterte administration's anti-drug campaign.
The senator is currently under Senate protective custody following the failed arrest attempt inside the Senate complex.
