Veteran broadcasters Mel Tiangco and Karen Davila trended online after their interviews with Sen. Bato dela Rosa, who resurfaced in the Senate after a six-month absence.
The lawmaker, now the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), appeared on GMA Network’s “24 Oras” and ANC for interviews following his return to the Upper Chamber.
Clips from the interviews went viral, with Filipinos reacting to the broadcasters’ remarks during their respective exchanges with the senator.
An X (formerly Twitter) user shared an excerpt of Davila’s ANC interview on May 13, where she pointed out the contrast in Dela Rosa’s demeanor before and after the ICC developments.
“Ang tapang-tapang niyo po daw noong kayo ay PNP chief sa ilalim ni dating pangulong Duterte, tapos ngayon, ito kayo, tumatakbo, umiiwas sa mga pulis, umiiyak sa Senado. Takot na takot kayo. Anong reaksyon niyo po doon?” she said, referring Philippine National Police.
The X user quoted Davila and reacted, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GO MS. KAREN DAVILA!!!!!!!”
“Ang tapang tapang niyo noong kayo ay PNP chief, tapos ngayon ito kayo tumatakbo, umiiwas sa mga pulis, umiiyak sa Senado”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GO MS. KAREN DAVILA!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/7k65Eud1de
— ALTStarMagic 💫 (@AltStarMagic) May 12, 2026
The post has since garnered 485,600 views, 26,000 likes, 7,000 reposts, and 1,500 bookmarks from users who shared similar sentiments.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH KISAP-KISAP NA LANG SIYA NG MATA. UNEASY. The way Karen deliver it, HAHAHAHAHAAHA, I love it!!! Kung hindi niyo pa nakuha, nako, ewan ko na lang,” an online user wrote.
“‘Yung diniin pa talaga ni Karen na duwag siya… in a nice way,” another commented.
Tiangco also went viral for her remarks during her interview with the senator.
“Pero kung talagang kailangan na, kayo ba ay pwede rin na sumana na? Na walang gulo, na walang problema, sasama na kayo, ‘pag nakitang lehitimo ‘yung warrant of arrest, senator. Pwede ba ‘yun mangyari?” she said in “24 Oras.”
Dela Rosa appeared caught off guard and struggled to answer some of the questions during the interview.
“Mahirap… mahirap sagutin ‘yung katanungan,” he said, adding that he might later be called a “liar.”
“Hindi ko nagawa ‘yung sinabi ko ngayon… kaya hintayin na lang natin kung ano ang mangyari. Hintayin na lang natin,” the senator said.
Tiangco then chuckled and said she “accepts” his answer.
“From Mel Tiangco to Karen Davila, kuhang kuha mo talaga pika ng lahat, Bato!” an online user wrote while resharing the interview.
From Mel Tiangco to Karen Davila, kuhang kuha mo talaga pika ng lahat, Bato!
pic.twitter.com/P1Eajzbqgh https://t.co/4GTn9cc1rx
— 💛🩵Fangirl✨ (@stormystars83) May 12, 2026
The clip was also posted on the Threads platform, garnering 19,500 likes, 4,700 reposts and almost 900 replies.
“Hahahha. Her face and ‘ughs’ says it all. Hahha,” an online user wrote, reacting to Tiangco’s expression.
“Tawang-tawa ako sa facial expression ni Tita Mel, hahahahahhahahah kuhang-kuha ang feeling ng sambayanang Pilipino, wahahahaha,” another said.
“Sa mukha pa lang ni Miss Mel, alam na agad na dismayado eh hahahahaha,” a different Pinoy commented.
Dela Rosa is currently under the Senate’s protective custody following an arrest warrant issued by the ICC over his alleged involvement in the Duterte administration’s “War on Drugs” campaign.
Lawyers and a former Senate president have said there is no law designating the Senate as a refuge for “fugitives,” although Dela Rosa may stay there temporarily if permitted by the Senate President.
ALSO READ: Can Bato dela Rosa be arrested in the Senate? Lawyers, ex-Senate president weigh in
Dela Rosa appeared at the Senate on Monday, May 11, to vote on the ouster of then-Senate President Tito Sotto III and the installation of then-Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president.
Prior to this, Dela Rosa caused a scene after running through the Senate premises, including the fire exit stairs, while trying to evade agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with an arrest warrant issued by the ICC.
He had been absent from the Senate since November 2025, when Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that the senator was facing an ICC arrest warrant.
The ICC said the senator has an alleged criminal responsibility as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in the killings linked to the bloody anti-narcotics campaign, claiming that his involvement amounts to the “crime against humanity of murder” allegedly committed between July 2016 and April 2018.
Dela Rosa is the PNP chief at the height of the implementation of former president Rodrigo Duterte‘s “War on Drugs” initiative.
