Courtesy: Edd Gumban
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has apprehended a man who approached government officials claiming to have information regarding the whereabouts of fugitive Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is being hunted over allegations of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.
The suspect, who is also facing an outstanding arrest warrant for estafa issued in Isabela, initially contacted Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, presenting himself as a reliable source with direct knowledge of the senator’s location. Recto subsequently referred the individual, whose identity is being withheld, to NBI Director Melvin Matibag for proper coordination and verification.
According to Matibag, the man initially appeared credible during their discussions, presenting himself as a concerned father struggling with his child’s illness and claiming connections to former governor Chavit Singson — details that seemed to back up his supposed insider knowledge.
Moved by his story, Matibag initially provided ₱10,000 to assist with medical expenses. However, suspicions arose when the suspect began demanding increasingly larger sums of money and suddenly went into hiding after authorities tried to arrange a meeting. Matibag realized the man was attempting to exploit the ongoing manhunt to scam government officials out of funds.
Acting on the leads they gathered, operatives from the NBI‑Organized and Transnational Crimes Division arrested the suspect inside his condominium unit in Novaliches, Quezon City, last May 19.
During the search, agents recovered several sachets of shabu from his possession, adding drug‑related charges to the list of cases against him. Matibag noted with concern that the suspect possessed contact numbers of several high‑ranking officials, warning that such access could be used to exploit the current political climate and extort money from the government.
The NBI chief issued a stern warning to others attempting to profit from false information regarding Dela Rosa or any other fugitives. “Let this be a warning to people who give false leads about Senator Bato’s whereabouts or other fugitives of justice. Think twice because we will make sure you’ll be held accountable under the law. You will be arrested,” Matibag declared, emphasizing that authorities will not tolerate schemes that hinder investigations or misuse sensitive issues for personal gain.
