MANILA – National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Friday said Senator Robin Padilla is being treated as a “person of interest” in connection with the whereabouts of Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa.

In a report, Dela Rosa reportedly slipped out of the Senate building early Thursday morning amid the possibility of his arrest following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant tied to the Duterte administration’s drug war.

“Automatic po ‘yan pero sabi ko nga, kung meron pong unang-unang dapat tanungin, na-identify naman na si Senator Robin Padilla ‘yung kasama,” Matibag said when asked if the NBI is already tracking Dela Rosa during an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

“Siya po ‘yung pinaka-person of interest to shed light sa whereabouts po ni Senator Bato,” he added.

Matibag said the NBI is acting based on instructions from the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the matter.

“In the proper time gagawin po natin ‘yan. Malinaw naman po ‘yung sinasabi namin lagi na we are following instructions from the higher-ups, sa DOJ po ‘yung pinaka-main coordination dito so doon po tayo,” he said.

He was also asked about Dela Rosa’s current location and pointed to several officials who may have knowledge of the senator’s movements, including Padilla, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca.

“After noong commotion diyan sa Senate, ‘yung putukan, ang kasunod, nawala na po siya. Kung maalala ninyo po, ‘yan na nga ‘yung binabanggit ko na sentimyento ng aming mga ahente na maaaring ang naging dahilan noong paputukan na ‘yan ay para ma-divert at makaalis si Senator Bato,” Matibag said.

“At ‘yan naman ay kinumpirma ng kaniyang maybahay na sabi si Senator Bato took advantage noong situation na nagkaputukan para makaalis po ng Senado,” he added.

Gunshots were reported inside the Senate on Wednesday evening amid a lockdown at the upper chamber, where Dela Rosa was reportedly under protective custody. Hours later, he had already left the Senate compound.