Tensions are expected to spike anew in the upper chamber as Sen. Rodante Marcoleta moved to summon former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to an inquiry into his alleged role in the chaotic attempt to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Marcoleta, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order, announced he would formalize the inclusion of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) in the probe by Monday, alongside the 11 May incident that saw NBI agents chasing Dela Rosa through the halls of the Senate.
“As vice chairman of the Committee on Public Order, I will likely announce by Monday that the NBI and the DoJ will be called to explain the arrest attempt involving Senator Bato on 11 May,” Marcoleta said in an interview on NET25’s “Sa Ganang Mamamayan.”
The inquiry will specifically scrutinize Trillanes for “waving” what he claimed was an ICC warrant during the confrontation, as he questions the former senator’s authority to act as a process server for an international body
“I will also call on Trillanes, who was brandishing that warrant of arrest. That matter needs to be investigated,” he said.
He said the probe would also look into a separate incident of gunfire reported on 13 May, which he described as occurring in close succession to the earlier enforcement operation.
Trillanes, unfazed by the threat, welcomed the face-off.
“I’m up for that. I’m not intimidated by Marcoleta,” he said, asserting that his involvement stemmed from a direct challenge issued by Dela Rosa.
He added that further international legal developments, including more warrants, are expected in the coming months.
“More developments are coming, but they likely won’t surface for a few more months,” he said.
He also claimed that while there are leads on certain individuals under scrutiny, these still require validation.
“There are many leads, but they still need to be validated. In time, they’re bound to make a mistake. Once they show themselves, they’ll be arrested,” he said.
In a separate interview with foreign media, Marcoleta described the Senate as under persistent political strain, saying rival blocs frequently challenged its leadership.
An 11 May leadership coup installed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, and a standoff involving law enforcement agents within the Senate complex led to Dela Rosa’s escape from the premises in the early hours of 14 May.
Procedural queries
Following the leadership change, senators from opposing blocs have raised concerns over procedural direction, with some questioning plenary and committee actions linked to pending motions and investigations.