SENATOR Robin Padilla has confirmed that he allowed Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to ride in his vehicle when both lawmakers left the Senate premises in Pasay City following the shooting incident last week.
Padilla made the clarification amid questions on how Dela Rosa was able to leave the area quickly while authorities were securing the vicinity. However, the lawmaker emphasized that his involvement was limited only to giving a ride, and he did not accompany Dela Rosa further nor know of his final destination.
According to Padilla, he only dropped his colleague off at a location in Makati City, after which Dela Rosa proceeded on his own. “I just gave him a lift and left him there. I have no knowledge of where he went or where he is staying after that,” Padilla stated. He added that he was not aware at that time that authorities would soon be enforcing an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa, noting that their departure happened right in the middle of the confusion caused by the commotion inside the Senate building.
Padilla also denied any allegations that he helped Dela Rosa escape or evade law enforcement operations. He stressed that his act was simply an act of courtesy between fellow senators during a tense situation, and he did not intend to obstruct any legal process. As investigations continue, authorities said they take note of Padilla’s statement but remain focused on tracking Dela Rosa’s exact location to serve the valid arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
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