Viva artist Andrea del Rosario explained her photo with Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, whose whereabouts remain unknown, after posting an image with him on social media.
On May 16, the showbiz personality shared an Instagram Story showing her and her husband, Anthony Garcia, with the senator.
“Thanks for dropping by, sir!” she wrote with emojis of a waving hand and the Philippine flag.
Dela Rosa was wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and slippers in the photo.
The photo drew attention, given the senator’s controversial escape from the Senate, where he sought protective custody amid an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Andrea later addressed the speculations, saying the photo was “maybe” taken “three years ago.”
“That’s an old photo,” she said in an Instagram comment.
“It was a memory that showed up and I reposted… just riding the issue for the memes! Lol, didn’t know that it would blow up! Lol,” Andrea added.
In an interview with the PEP’s Cabinet Files, the actress said that she was not sharing or soliciting any opinion.
“I posted this for fun — just riding the issue for the memes. And it worked!” the actress was quoted as saying.
“I am not taking any side,” Andrea added.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa, who sought custody at the Senate, left the Senate complex hours after the shooting incident on May 13. He was reportedly aided by Sen. Robin Padilla, a fellow Duterte ally.
Dela Rosa has been identified as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in the killings linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The ICC said his alleged involvement may amount to the “crime against humanity of murder” allegedly committed between July 2016 and April 2018.
Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police at the height of former president Rodrigo Duterte‘s “war on drugs.”
