PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered an internal investigation on allegations that local police officers escorted embattled Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa out of the Senate compound in the wee hours of May 14, 2026.
In a statement, Nartatez said separate verification measures were being conducted to determine whether unauthorized police assistance had been provided during the senator’s departure from the Senate premises in Pasay City.
Nartatez said investigative units had been directed to independently review logbooks, CCTV footage, and radio dispatch records from the early morning of May 14 when a van, believed to be carrying Dela Rosa, left.
“Let me be absolutely clear: the Philippine National Police does not operate on blind because the integrity of our institution is at stake,” Nartatez said.
He added that investigators would examine deployment logs, dispatch records, mobility records, duty rosters, and available body camera footage from police units assigned around the Senate complex and nearby areas.
Earlier, Pasay City police chief Joselito de Sesto confirmed that he was inside a white police vehicle seen in a viral video leaving the Senate compound around 3 a.m. alongside a black van.
However, De Sesto denied providing escort or logistical support to the vehicle, which was suspected of carrying Dela Rosa.
Nartatez warned that any police personnel found to have provided unauthorized assistance could face administrative and criminal charges.
“If the investigation reveals that there was any unauthorized coordination, false reporting, or logistical support given to evade legal processes, those involved will face the full brunt of administrative and criminal sanctions,” he said.
The PNP chief also denied allegations that the national police leadership authorized any covert operation to assist Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate.
“As the chief of the PNP, I categorically state that the national leadership had no prior knowledge of, nor did it authorize any logistical assistance for, the departure of Senator Dela Rosa from the Senate premises,” he said.
The top cop said police deployment around the Senate complex was limited to public safety, crowd control, and perimeter security following a shooting incident that occurred hours earlier.
The Senate complex remained under heightened security during the incident, with personnel from the Pasay City Police and the National Capital Region Police Office deployed in the area.
Nartatez reiterated that the PNP remained “apolitical” and committed to the rule of law, adding that any officer who acted beyond official orders would be held individually accountable. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)