Palace dares VP Sara: Get Bato to show up in Senate

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June 11, 2026 | 6:02pm

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to ‘encourage or force’ Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa to appear in the Senate and attend sessions, after the vice president earlier said all senators must be included in discussions on the institution’s priorities.

“Kung yun po ang nais niya na makabalik sa Senado si Sen. Bato, welcome po ‘yun. Mas maganda kung kanyang i-encourage, pipilitin, kamukha nung ginawa ni Sen. Cayetano,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing Thursday, June 11.

(If she wants to bring back Sen. Bato to the Senate, that’s welcome. It would be better if she would encourage, force [him], just like what Sen. Cayetano did.)

Dela Rosa is still in hiding and being tracked by authorities due to an active arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged crimes against humanity case.

'Unrealistic' suggestion

Palace’s dare came as a response to Duterte, who called on the Senate on Wednesday, June 10, to discuss and settle their priorities as an institution.

“Dahil sila ay hindi dalawang grupo kun’di isang institusyon ay dapat na pag-usapan ng 24, kasama ‘yung mga nakulong, kasama ‘yung nagtatago kung ano ba dapat ang prayoridad ng kanilang institusyon at ano ‘yung kanilang trabaho na naaayon sa ating Saligang Batas,” Duterte said.

(Since they are not two groups but a single institution, the 24 senators, including those who are detained and hiding, must discuss their priorities as an institution, and their jobs as mandated by our Constitution.)

Castro rebuffed Duterte’s suggestion, saying it would be unrealistic since Dela Rosa is hiding from authorities while Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is detained for his P573-million plunder case related to the flood control scandal.

“A detained [senator] cannot immediately appear or attend or vote since their case is under the Court’s jurisdiction and not with the Senate,” Castro said in Filipino.

Mess connected to VP

Malacañang also linked Duterte to the Senate chaos after the vice president earlier described the issue as a reflection of the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

According to Castro, all the Senate chaos, including Dela Rosa’s escape allegedly with the help of Sen. Robin Padilla and the May 13 gun-related incident, was deliberately sowed by Duterte’s allies to protect her from her ongoing impeachment case.

“Lahat ng ito, lahat sila, sila ‘yung nagsasabing dapat na ibasura ang impeachment. Ito ay lahat para sa proteksyon ng bise presidente,” Castro said.

(All of this, and all of them, they are the ones who claim that the impeachment case must be dismissed. All of this to protect the vice president.)

Duterte earlier said that the Senate chaos reflected the leadership of the current administration.

“lyong kaguluhan at kawalang direksiyon ng ating bansa ay nagsasalamin kung ano ang klase ng leadership mayroon ang nakaupo sa Palasyo,” Duterte said.

(The chaos and lack of direction in our country reflects the kind of leadership of the one sitting in the Palace.)

Castro replied to the statement, seemingly implying that the chaos is actually a manifestation of Duterte's alleged abuse of power.

“Hindi totoo na patungkol daw sa kahinaan ng liderato sa administrasyon kung hindi ito ay sa patuloy na pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan para lamang sa kanilang mga kaalyado,” Castro said.