Sen. Win Gatchalian tried to contact Sen. Bato dela Rosa
Senator Win Gatchalian said that his fellow lawmaker, Senator Bato dela Rosa, had to go back to work.
Dela Rosa was nowhere to be found following the reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued an arrest warrant against him. This is in line with the extrajudicial killing complaints filed against him and former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Last year, Duterte was already arrested by the Philippine National Police and the Interpol, as ordered by the ICC.
Following the statement of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla regarding the supposed ICC warrant of arrest, Sen. Bato dela Rosa was no longer seen and has not reported in the Senate.
Based on the report from Abante News, Sen. Win Gatchalian said that the former PNP Chief had to go back to fulfill his duty as an elected government official. Dela Rosa was not able to fulfill his duty as the vice chairperson of Gatchalian in the Senate Committee on Finance during the deliberation of the proposed 2026 national budget.
Gatchalian said that he tried contacting Dela Rosa. “I tried to call him many, many times, cannot be reached `yung phone,” the lawmaker said.
He also said that even the staff of Dela Rosa had no idea about his whereabouts. “I would ask the staff, meron kasi siyang chief of staff, and then mag-smile lang `yung chief of staff niya sa akin,” Gatchalian said.
Sen. Win Gatchalian is hoping that Sen. Bato dela Rosa will soon appear and return to the Senate and do his job.
Meanwhile, in a recent statement, Sen. Imee Marcos said that Dela Rosa is still able to do his job. However, she said that she also has no idea where Dela Rosa is. “Noong una ay talagang nagte-text pa ‘yan pero ngayon hindi na namin maabot pero ‘yung opisina niya nakakapag-pirma pa rin siya. Nagtatrabaho pa rin,” she said.