THE GHOST OF THE SENATE: THE CHILLING DISAPPEARANCE OF BATO DE LA ROSA AND THE ICC’S SHADOW

The halls of the Philippine Senate are built for debate, for lawmaking, and for the presence of the nation’s most powerful figures. But for nearly two months, a cold silence has occupied the seat of Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa. The man once known as the “Tower of Power,” the fierce architect of the bloody drug war, has become a ghost. As of January 11, 2026, the question echoing through the corridors of power is no longer just about policy—it is an investigation into a vanishing act. Where is Bato?

The headline screams of a senator in hiding, terrified of an encroaching storm. Is it a tactical retreat, or is it a desperate flight from international justice? The mystery deepened this Wednesday when Senator Imee Marcos stepped into the line of fire to defend her missing colleague, but her defense may have unintentionally unmasked the very fear she sought to hide.

The “Paper” Senator: Working from the Shadows?

Senator Imee Marcos insists that the machinery of Bato’s office is still grinding. “He is still working because he is still signing papers,” she claimed, dismissing the calls for a “No Work, No Pay” policy. But critics are not silenced. In a legislative body, “work” is not merely the stroke of a pen on a document delivered by couriers to a secret location.

The true work of a senator happens in the heat of committee hearings, in the grueling budget deliberations, and in the presence of the people. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Bato’s own chairman in the Finance Committee, is reportedly at his wits’ end. As the 2026 budget was dissected, Bato—the Vice Chairman—was nowhere to be found. Gatchalian’s calls go unanswered. The message is clear: The desk is occupied, but the man is gone.

The ICC Shadow: A Warrant or a Weapon of Terror?

The timeline of Bato’s disappearance aligns perfectly with a seismic announcement from Ombudsman Boying Remulla. The word “Warrant” has become the most terrifying term in the senator’s vocabulary. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has reportedly moved from investigation to action, issuing warrants related to the extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration.

Senator Imee Marcos lashed out at the enforcement agencies, accusing them of psychological warfare. “Why keep announcing there is a warrant? You are just terrorizing the man,” she challenged. “If there is a warrant, serve it!”

But this defense backfires. By claiming Bato is being “terrorized,” Imee has admitted the unthinkable: The tough-talking former PNP Chief is afraid. This is the same man who once dared his critics to “Make my day.” Now, it seems, the day has come, and Bato is nowhere to be found to face it.

The Great Divide: The Marcos-Duterte Fractures

Beneath the mystery of the missing senator lies a deeper, more volatile investigation into the shifting alliances of the 2028 presidential race. Senator Imee Marcos, the “older sister” of the administration, is walking a dangerous tightrope. She openly aligns with Vice President Sara Duterte while criticizing her own brother’s administration.

In a candid, almost reckless revelation, Imee admitted to feeling like a “backup dancer” for the Duterte camp. She spoke of the “national security risk” posed by high-ranking officials struggling with past afflictions, a thinly veiled strike against the stability of the current leadership. The investigation into Bato’s disappearance is merely a symptom of a larger war—a war between two dynasties for the soul of the Philippines.

The Financial Investigation: The 5-Million-Peso Ghost

While the political drama unfolds, a more grounded investigation is taking place: the use of public funds. Every month, a senator receives a salary of approximately 300,000 Pesos, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. The MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) for a senatorial office can reach up to 5 Million Pesos per month.

Fund Category
Estimated Monthly Amount
Status for Bato

Personal Salary
₱300,000
Still being paid

MOOE (Operations)
₱5,000,000
Active/Utilized

Committee Attendance
Essential
ABSENT

The public outcry is deafening. If a senator is in hiding to avoid an international warrant, should the Filipino taxpayers continue to fund his “ghost” operations? The “No Work, No Pay” demand is gaining momentum as the two-month mark of his absence passes.

The Brink of an Apocalyptic Scenario

Imee Marcos herself described the current political climate as “apocalyptic.” Between the threat of the ICC, the rumored Senate coups, and the sky-high prices of food that even a Marcos finds “shocking,” the nation is on edge.

The investigation into Ronald Bato de la Rosa’s disappearance is more than a missing person’s case. It is a trial of the Philippine justice system itself. If a sitting senator can vanish to avoid the reach of international law while continuing to draw a taxpayer-funded salary, what does that say about the “Rules-Based International Order” the country so frequently invokes?

As the sun sets on another day with an empty seat in the Senate, the mystery remains. Bato may be signing papers in the dark, but the light of public scrutiny is growing brighter. The “Tower of Power” has become a tower of silence, and the clock is ticking.