To avoid further conflict in the Senate and keep the institution from becoming a shelter for individuals who wish to elude the law, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima believes Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa should surrender to law enforcement in connection with his arrest warrant.

“Ang pinakamainam na solusyon ngayon ay sumuko na si Sen. Bato dela Rosa sa awtoridad. Wala nang dapat maging gulo o madamay pa. Dasal natin ang kaligtasan ng mga nasa Senado,” De Lima said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

As a former Senator herself, the lawmaker said she was disappointed that Dela Rosa appeared intent on further evading his arrest, and that chaos had broken out at the Senate, resulting in grave tensions.

De Lima said the Senate was one of the last pillars of the country’s democracy, and should not serve as a stage for violence or a shelter for anyone aiming to dodge their arrest.

In a social media post, she also addressed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s statement, claiming she had also hidden from authorities back in 2017.

“Sa Senate premises po ako mapayapang humarap at nagpa-aresto noong Feb. 24, 2017. Get your facts straight, SP Alan!” she said.

Former Congressman Teddy Baguilat, head of the ML Party-list, is aware of the root cause of the Senate havoc: a senator who, after a long period in hiding, was being served an arrest warrant and barricading himself within the Senate to evade accountability.

Baguilat said that no one should be harmed on account of such a senator.

Gunshots rang through the halls of the Senate building on Wednesday night, prompting authorities to rush to the scene, like the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla himself.