Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Fredderick Vida announced on Friday that he has directed the creation of a prosecution panel tasked to carry out a case build-up investigation into the incidents that occurred at the Senate from Monday to Thursday.
“I have directed the creation of a special panel of prosecutors to conduct a comprehensive case build-up investigation into the incident,” he said during a press conference, adding that the panel will be given the powers necessary to enable a fair and impartial probe into the matter, such as the authority to issue subpoenas.
Moreover, Vida instructed concerned law enforcement agencies to turn over all pertinent evidence and records that would prove helpful for the case build-up.
“I likewise am directing and ordering all concerned law enforcement agencies—including the PNP (Philippine National Police), particularly its Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), the NCRPO, the Pasay City Police Station, as well as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)—to preserve and submit, within 48 hours from receipt of the order, all relevant evidence and records pertaining to the serious event that transpired at the Senate complex from May 11 to May 14, 2026,” the secretary said.
Vida also requested the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA), through the Office of the Senate President, to submit a report and all relevant evidence, including CCTV footages, ballistic and paraffin examination results, deployment records, communication logs, incident reports, witness statements.
He also appealed to the media to submit to the special panel verified or verifiable video or photo evidence concerning the incidents that had transpired.
“I’d like to encourage crowd-sourcing of evidence. For any available evidence which is verified or can be verifiable. Alam niyo naman, ang daming kumalat na video. You can submit it to our panel of prosecutors investigating this and we will look at them, so we can get to the truth of the circumstances that led to the incident,” said Vida.
Vida confirmed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who refuses to submit to a foreign judiciary.
The Justice secretary said that the moment Dela Rosa attempts to flee the country, he will be arrested.
“The Department of Justice will treat any attempt of Senator Bato Dela Rosa to leave the country as a mockery of justice. And I am giving specific orders to law enforcement agents, to our border control authorities that if Senator Bato Dela Rosa would try to leave the country that the appropriate arrest should be made,” he said.
