Authorities leaving no stone unturned to find ‘Bato’

National

A MANHUNT for Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was conducted by law enforcement authorities across Luzon on Wednesday, May 27.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said four locations were searched in an attempt to locate Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief linked to the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign and currently being sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A Philstar report stated that the series of operations were conducted jointly by the CIDG and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Parañaque, Bulacan, and Pampanga.

In Pampanga, authorities searched a house in Angeles City reportedly owned by Dela Rosa. However, the NBI and CIDG failed to locate the senator.

Also on Wednesday, the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office suspended the licenses of Dela Rosa’s 117 firearms.

Meanwhile, the CIDG said it recommended to the Department of Justice the filing of obstruction of justice charges against Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who allegedly helped Dela Rosa leave the Senate premises on May 14.

Padilla denied the allegations, insisting that he merely gave Dela Rosa a ride.

Senate President Allan Peter Cayetano also maintained that Padilla’s actions were not unlawful, saying there is no valid Philippine warrant against Dela Rosa.(Althea Alexis M. Dimasuhid, CNU Main Campus BA Comm Intern)