Marcos Says No Order Issued to Arrest Dela Rosa

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there was no order from himself or other executive officials to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. He added that government forces had no role in a shooting incident at the Senate that occurred during a lockdown on Wednesday night.

The statement came in response to social media claims that the president had ordered the arrest and that his administration was behind the chaos at the Senate. A video posted on May 14 by a channel called “Pinas Balita TV” featured a clip of a senator claiming that an NBI agent said they had instructions to invade Senate premises and arrest Dela Rosa at all costs.

” In a video statement late Wednesday night, Marcos said all armed uniformed personnel seen entering the Senate premises were security and police assigned to the legislative branch. “There were no instructions from anyone to arrest Senator Bato,” he stated.

“The government did not do this. No soldier, military, or NBI agent entered the Senate. ” Marcos added that authorities would investigate the cause of the incident. “We will find out who caused this chaos,” he said. “Was this really just an encounter?

Is this part of attempts to destabilize the government or trigger chaos? The warrant had been confirmed by the ICC on May 11. Dela Rosa had returned to the Senate after a months-long absence to take part in proceedings that ousted the previous Senate president.

Past 7 pm on Wednesday, reporters were told the Senate was going on lockdown. At around 7:45 pm, multiple gunshots were heard inside the Senate premises. A press briefing on May 14 provided further details on the exchange of fire.

A Palace Press Officer said the NBI did not launch an assault on the Senate. The briefing stated that the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms fired a warning shot at an NBI agent, prompting the agent to also fire shots. The same briefing confirmed there was no operation by the NBI or the Philippine National Police to arrest Dela Rosa.

The NBI chief said an investigation into the incident is underway. Speculation has circulated that the commotion at the Senate was staged to divert attention from Dela Rosa. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano later confirmed that Dela Rosa had left the Senate premises in the early hours of Thursday, May 14.