National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag denies rumors that he went to Davao City to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Matibag tells reporters and social media that the law enforcement operation focuses on a steel plant, not on arresting the senator.
Matibag says he travels from Manila to Davao City on Friday in connection with a raid of Davao Mighty Steel Corp. in Barangay Ilang, Bunawan district. He also jokes that what the operation “caught” was “bakal” (steel), not “Bato” (the senator). Multiple outlets report that the raid relates to findings about the steel being “radioactive” and “substandard,” and to the NBI’s agenda of inspecting the company.
Across the coverage, the differing angle is mainly how Matibag frames the clarification—some focus on debunking the “Bato” arrest claim, while others highlight his joke and the inspection/raid context. The underlying facts remain that the NBI operation in Davao targets the steel company rather than the senator.
