Malacañang on Monday debunked Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim that the Senate was “under attack” last week, after a commotion at the Senate building that led to gunfire and allowed Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to evade arrest.

“Senate siege. Was it under attack? It was not. The Senate was not under attack — you can see that in the news, not only from the statements of the NBI and PNP. That was only a statement made by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. As far as the government is concerned, the Senate was never under attack. That is the President’s position,” said Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro in a briefing.

Asked if the incident might have been staged, Castro declined to comment, saying only that it was up to the public to judge if the commotion was orchestrated to allow Dela Rosa to evade arrest.

The Palace spokesperson maintained there was no failure on the part of the NBI agents, noting that they had been blocked from entering the Senate.

“They were stopped. The question is: was the Senate correct in interfering with the service of a warrant of arrest? This is where you will see who respects institutions and who does not respect the law,” Castro said.

She assured that the Department of Justice would arrest Dela Rosa if he attempts to leave the country to evade the International Criminal Court arrest warrant, while stressing that the Palace respects his right to file motions before the Supreme Court.

“The DoJ has already spoken. At this point, we are awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court, and the President and the administration respect the pending case before it. But there is no need for Senator Bato dela Rosa to flee the country. If he attempts to do so, the DoJ has said he will be arrested,” she said.

She said the President was disappointed by what transpired in the Senate.

Castro also criticized Senator Robin Padilla for seemingly protecting Dela Rosa, questioning why he was not practicing what he once preached when former Senator Antonio Trillanes sought refuge in the Senate over rebellion charges years ago.