NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
NBI Hunts For Bato, Says 'Law Will Catch Up'
FILE
The hunt for Senator Ronald dela Rosa has intensified after the National Bureau of Investigation revealed that teams across the country are now tracking his possible whereabouts.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said authorities have launched a nationwide monitoring operation following reports that Dela Rosa allegedly disappeared from the Senate premises on May 14.
“We are getting leads every day na ang sinasabi is nandirito pa rin po siya sa Pilipinas. So we have dedicated a team, actually teams to track Senator Bato,” Matibag said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
According to Matibag, all NBI district and regional offices were also instructed to conduct their own monitoring efforts while specialized tracking teams continue searching for the senator.
“At the same time, we already ordered ‘yung ating lahat ng district and regional offices to do their own monitoring po sa kani-kanilang respective areas apart from the dedicated team and tracking team to go out there to locate Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” he added.
Matibag admitted that tracking Dela Rosa is challenging because of his background in law enforcement. Before entering politics, Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police and was one of the key figures in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
“Well, it’s one of the major concerns kasi nga galing siya sa law enforcement. So he knows how the law enforcement officers behave, kung paano siya ita-track or hahanapin,” Matibag said.
Despite this, the NBI chief warned that authorities would eventually find him.
“But eventually the law will catch up with you and the law enforcers will get you kung saan ka man naroroon,” he told Dela Rosa.
Matibag also renewed his public appeal for the senator to voluntarily surrender and face the case linked to the investigation of the International Criminal Court.
“That’s why I’m always appealing if I have an opportunity to Senator Bato to surrender, kusa na siyang sumuko at harapin niya ‘yung kanyang kinakaharap na kaso sa ICC,” Matibag said.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said authorities have launched a nationwide monitoring operation following reports that Dela Rosa allegedly disappeared from the Senate premises on May 14.
“We are getting leads every day na ang sinasabi is nandirito pa rin po siya sa Pilipinas. So we have dedicated a team, actually teams to track Senator Bato,” Matibag said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
According to Matibag, all NBI district and regional offices were also instructed to conduct their own monitoring efforts while specialized tracking teams continue searching for the senator.
“At the same time, we already ordered ‘yung ating lahat ng district and regional offices to do their own monitoring po sa kani-kanilang respective areas apart from the dedicated team and tracking team to go out there to locate Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” he added.
Matibag admitted that tracking Dela Rosa is challenging because of his background in law enforcement. Before entering politics, Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police and was one of the key figures in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
“Well, it’s one of the major concerns kasi nga galing siya sa law enforcement. So he knows how the law enforcement officers behave, kung paano siya ita-track or hahanapin,” Matibag said.
Despite this, the NBI chief warned that authorities would eventually find him.
“But eventually the law will catch up with you and the law enforcers will get you kung saan ka man naroroon,” he told Dela Rosa.
Matibag also renewed his public appeal for the senator to voluntarily surrender and face the case linked to the investigation of the International Criminal Court.
“That’s why I’m always appealing if I have an opportunity to Senator Bato to surrender, kusa na siyang sumuko at harapin niya ‘yung kanyang kinakaharap na kaso sa ICC,” Matibag said.
May 24, 2026
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