SENATOR Robin Padilla can be charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly aiding Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in his escape from Senate custody on Thursday, according to former justice secretary-turned Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leida de Lima.
Now that Dela Rosa has fled, the biggest losers are the victims of extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration and their families, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña said.
Dela Rosa, who was Philippine National Police chief during the watch of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, was the chief implementer of Duterte’s war on drugs.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague, where the former president is detained and awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity, has issued a warrant for his arrest.
Asked by reporters in an ambush interview what would be the legal liability of Padilla, De Lima said, “Obstruction of justice, harboring a criminal fugitive, aiding and abetting a criminal fugitive. Obstruction of justice ‘yan, malinaw po sa akin ‘yan.”
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano has told the media that Padilla left the Senate with Dela Rosa on Thursday after the gunfire incident at the Senate building.
Responding to another question, De Lima said it is the people and the rule of law who are losers in the former PNP chief’s escape.
“Ang taong bayan, ‘yung batas, the rule of law, ang talo po dito,” she said.
For his part, Cendaña said, “At yung pinaka-natalo dito sa nangyari na pagpapatakas kay Bato de la Rosa ay ‘yung mga pamilya ng mga namatayan sa EJK.”
He said the senator’s exit from Senate custody only proves that former President Duterte, Dela Rosa and Sen. Bong Go cannot be tried in the Philippines for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the previous administration’s war on drugs.
“Talagang pinapakita nito na hindi talaga pwede dito sa Pilipinas litisin si Bato at si Duterte at kahit pa si Bong Go. Dapat talaga sa ICC kasi may ganito mga institution that enable them and coddle them,” he said.
He added that he won’t be surprised if it were Cayetano who was behind Dela Rosa’s escape.
“I won’t be surprised kasi naging Senate President siya dahil ipinasok niya ‘yung botante niya, papasok ng Senado, pinuslit nilang magkapatid,” she stressed, referring to Senate President Cayetano and sister Sen. Pia Cayetano.
Reacting to Senate President Cayetano’s statement that she sought refuge in the Senate in 2017 when she was senator, De Lima disputed the Senate leader’s recollection of events when she was arrested on drug charges during the Duterte administration.
“Naku, maling-maling ‘yang mga sinasabi ni SP Allan. Ako po ay mapayapa na nag-surrender noon, noong ako ay inaresto noong Feb 24, 2017,” she said.
She recalled that the day before the arrest warrant was issued, she went home to say goodbye to her family and get some things.
“Before that, the day before lumabas ‘yung warrant of arrest ay umuwi muna ako noon para magpaalam sa pamilya, para kunin ‘yung aking mga gamit pero bumalik din ako kaagad sa Senado at nag-stay ako overnight doon para kausapin din yung aking mga staff. So the next day kaagad,” she said.
She said it was not true that she was given a few days to be home with her family.
“So hindi po totoo yung sinasabi na hindi ako inaresto o hindi ako nag-surrender doon sa Senate premises at hindi rin po ‘yung sinasabi na binigyan ako ng few days daw na makauwi muna,” she said.
De Lima added that she had only one hour or two hours with her family.
“Isang hapon lang ‘yun noong umuwi ako, isa o dalawang oras lang po ako umuwi para magpaalam sa pamilya ko at para kunin ‘yung aking gamit. So maling-maling po ‘yung mga ganyan na mga informasyon. The record would show that tingnan nyo lang yung mga pangyayari noon sa mga news clippings dati in Feb 2017,” De Lima stressed.
