Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Tuesday denied allegations that he authorized National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents to enter the Senate to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, clarifying that he was unaware the senator would be present in the chamber that day.
During the plenary session, Sotto explained that an NBI representative informed him earlier that morning about a warrant for Dela Rosa. According to Sotto, he merely instructed the agency to “coordinate with the OSAA,” referring to the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
“I didn't realize that he was coming. I didn't know that he was going to be there in the afternoon,” Sotto said, emphasizing that he believed it was only a routine coordination regarding a warrant issued against a sitting senator.
He also rejected claims that he permitted agents to conduct a chase inside Senate premises.
“If I had known that he was coming, I would have had a different perspective,” he added, insisting that he had no intention of obstructing justice and that proper procedures should have been followed.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano later clarified that while the arrest order itself may have been coordinated with Senate officials, the manner in which the operation was carried out became the issue.
Cayetano revealed that NBI officials allegedly said they were allowed entry after coordination with Sotto, but stressed that this did not mean permission was given for agents to pursue Dela Rosa inside the Senate building.
“Assuming pinayagan kayong pumasok, hindi naman siguro siya pumayag makipaghabulan kayo,” Cayetano said during the session, questioning the reported chase near the session hall.
Senator Pia Cayetano also raised concerns over the conduct of the operation, saying it appeared the objective extended beyond simply serving the warrant. She questioned whether NBI agents intended to continue pursuing Dela Rosa up to the session hall itself.
The issue emerged following tensions inside the Senate involving law enforcement personnel and security officers amid attempts to serve the warrant against Dela Rosa, who remains under Senate protective custody.
