NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Saturday warned that individuals who helped Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa evade arrest could face criminal and administrative liability, including obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive.
Matibag made the statement after Senator Robin Padilla publicly admitted that on May 14, Dela Rosa rode with him out of the Senate complex and was later dropped off in Makati City before authorities again lost track of the senator’s whereabouts.
“It is Senator Padilla himself who confirmed na sa kanya sumakay, nakisakay sa kanya at ibinaba niya sa isang lugar,” Matibag said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
“I think he’s a responsible senator and a responsible citizen na alam na niya na ngayon na dapat managot sa batas,” he added.
The NBI chief said the Department of Justice is now studying possible cases against those who may have aided Dela Rosa.
“On the question of kanyang responsibility or anything that this should be answerable under the law, it’s being studied and build up by the Department of Justice in coordination with other agencies involved,” he said.
Matibag said obstruction of justice could be among the charges.
“Marami po ‘yan, depende kung ano ‘yung pagkatao. Meron po syempre ‘yung obstruction of justice diyan, tapos yung harboring ng criminal,” he said.
“If you’re a government official working in the government, mas kumplikado po ‘yan because we have the Code of Professional Responsibility at saka ‘yung Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act),” he added.
He also stressed that lawmakers are not immune from arrest if the offense involved carries a penalty of more than six years imprisonment.
“This is established that any crime committed by any members of the Congress, whether it’s House or Senate, if the penalty is more than six years, you are not covered by the immunity from arrest,” Matibag said.
The NBI director also called on the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting any information that could help law enforcement locate Dela Rosa.
“It is the duty of every Filipino citizen na kung may nakita kayong isang pugante, the likes of Senator Bato, to report it to the law enforcement agency so that we can arrest the person,” Matibag said.
