Tensions rose at the Senate on Tuesday evening as minority senators walked out of the plenary over a proposed rule that would allow senators to vote electronically during sessions.

The motion was proposed by Senator Rodante Marcoleta on May 11, the same day embattled Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa resurfaced after six months in hiding. The DDS senator is now the subject of an active arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

TV5 broke the news first through its evening newscast Frontline Pilipinas, with mobile journalist Marymon Reyes reporting live from the session hall. She initially had Senator Robin Padilla while on the air for his reaction, but she was eventually blocked by the Senate sergeant-at-arms.

“Naku, ayaw ni SP [Cayetano] ‘yung ganoong salita,” the senator was overheard saying when asked about remarks that the majority was allegedly trying to railroad the process.

“Hoy, huwag naman kayo ganyan magsalita, huwag naman,” Padilla was later overheard saying after being asked if it was related to reports that majority senators could face jail time.

The Office of the Ombudsman earlier said it was set to file a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan against Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva over their alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal. Both Estrada and Villanueva are members of the majority.

GMA-7’s 24 Oras also reported on the developments, with Sandra Aguinaldo reporting live from the Senate and providing a summary of events.

Over at One News, Political Beat host Lourd De Veyra briefly paused his interview with University of the East law professor Eric De Torres to break the news and bring in Reyes for an update. The Big Story also had a longer discussion with the Kapatid reporter.

Senator Robin Padilla is being viewed as a person of interest following the escape of fellow Duterte ally Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Thursday.

Dela Rosa slipped out of the Senate building Thursday morning amid a possible arrest after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant against him in connection with his role in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.

Earlier reports said Dela Rosa left the Senate premises together with Padilla, a detail later confirmed by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate security chief Mao Aplasca.

Appearing on three of the primetime newscasts Monday, Padilla declined to comment on whether he played a role in Dela Rosa’s disappearance, saying an NBI probe is ongoing and that he would rather address the matter in the proper forum.

“Ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin po sa inyo na hindi ko po ‘yan masasagot sapagkat ito po ay naging opisyal nang imbestigasyon. Kaya ang pinakamaganda po dito ay ako po’y makapaghayag muna kung sinuman po ang aatasan ng gobyerno na mag-imbestiga,” Padilla said during a split-screen interview with TV Patrol anchor Karen Davila.

Davila then raised the issue of whether Padilla considers Dela Rosa a fugitive and whether he helped him escape.

“Pero Senator, bakit di niyo po ito masagot? Itinuturing niyo po bang pugante si Dela Rosa? Tumulong po ba kayo sa pugante?” she asked.

“Hindi po ‘yan ang posisyon ng mayorya. Ang posisyon po namin ay hindi po namin tinatanggap ang warrant of arrest galing sa ICC. Ang inaantay po namin ay ‘yung warrant of arrest ng local court po,” he said.

Padilla also appeared on 24 Oras, where anchor Mel Tiangco repeatedly pressed him on the same issue.

The senator avoided giving a direct answer several times, prompting Tiangco to bring up a video footage captured by GMA News showing an SUV reportedly owned by Padilla on the morning Dela Rosa left the Senate premises.

“Nakasakay po ba dyan si Senator Bato Dela Rosa nung nakunan ‘yan?” Tiangco asked, drawing a surprised reaction and laughter from the senator, who appeared taken aback by her persistence.

“Antayin na lang po natin, Tita Mel, ‘yung imbestigasyon. Pero akin po ‘yan. Alam po ng lahat ng tao dito na kotse ko po ‘yan,” Padilla said.

“Eh kayo ba ang nakasakay doon, Sir?” Tiangco quickly followed up.

“Antayin na lang po natin imbestigasyon,” Padilla answered before Tiangco cut in: “Pati kayo hindi pwedeng itanong?”

The senator also faced similar questions during an interview with Korina Sanchez on Agenda, who was broadcasting live from the Senate.

“Inutos po ba, ito po ay tanong ng bayan, ng partido na ipuslit si Senador Bato Dela Rosa?” Sanchez asked.

“Ay wala pong nangyaring puslit. Ako po ay handang humarap sa imbestigasyon. Katunayan gustong-gusto ko na din pong magkwento sa mga tao pero dahil in-official po nila na magkakaroon ng imbestigasyon kaya mas maganda po na doon na lang ako magpapahatig sa kanila at maglalahad kung ano po ‘yung alam ko,” Padilla answered.

Mel Tiangco challenged Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSSA) chief Mao Aplasca during a live interview Thursday on 24 Oras, questioning why warning shots were fired inside Senate premises and raising concerns over Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s exit from the Senate.

The interview came a day after gunfire erupted at the Senate complex in an incident involving Senate security personnel and individuals Aplasca said identified themselves as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.

The commotion unfolded on the same day the Supreme Court did not issue an immediate temporary restraining order on Dela Rosa’s request concerning an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant linked to his role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

The timing has since fueled speculation online, with some questioning whether the incident was staged, especially after Dela Rosa later left the Senate despite receiving a so-called “protective custody” from the Senate.

Aplasca pushed back against this theory.

“Mahirap yata na sabihing staged itong nangyari dito. Hindi ko naman po pwedeng i-stage ‘yung pagdating ng mga NBI agents dito,” he told Tiangco, arguing that there would not have been any commotion had the alleged NBI agents not shown up.

Tiangco asked Aplasca why he had to fire the warning shot during the encounter, “Eh lumalabas po sa mga ulat na kayo ‘yung unang nag-warning shot eh. Totoo po ba ‘yan at tsaka bakit, bakit kayo nagpakawala ng warning shot?”

Aplasca described the move as part of standard operating procedure, to which Tiangco quickly interrupted.

“Ah standard ‘yun? Ano ibig sabihin po nung standard, I’m sorry, General, no. Anong ibig sabihin ng standard? Walang nangyayari, ang dami-daming tao, magpapaputok ka. May ganun ba, Sir?” she asked.

Aplasca said the men, who identified themselves as NBI agents, allegedly raised their firearms when ordered to lower them, prompting him to fire a warning shot.

Tiangco repeatedly questioned why the encounter escalated if the men had already identified themselves as NBI personnel.

“Okay, so hindi naman kalaban ‘yun kung NBI ang nakita mo,” she pointedly remarked.

Later, Tiangco also took the chance to ask Aplasca about Dela Rosa’s exit from the Senate.

Citing information from a source, she said Aplasca had reportedly been sighted with the senator shortly before he left Senate grounds. She asked directly whether Dela Rosa had hinted that he planned to leave.

Aplasca denied having prior knowledge about the embattled senator’s plans and maintained that his visits were routine.

“Sa amin pong pag-uusap hanggang 1 o’clock po ng umaga ang pinakahuling bisita ko kay General Bato, wala naman po siyang sinasabi na aalis siya sa Senado,” Aplasca said.

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday pushed back against claims that Dela Rosa had “escaped,” saying it was wrong to use the term because the senator supposedly had “no arrest warrant.” He has since been criticized for that remark.

Watch the video below: