Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Robin Padilla are facing complaints with the ombudsman for obstruction of justice for supposedly aiding fugitive senator Bato dela Rosa escape from the Senate premises while facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Civil society groups led by Tindig Pilipinas filed the complaint on Wednesday, June 3. Also named as respondent was suspended Senate Sergeant At Arms Mao Aplasca, who fired the first shot in a standoff with National Bureau of Investigation agents inside the Senate building, amid reports of Dela Rosa possibly getting arrested.
Complainants said Cayetano should be held liable for giving protective custody to Dela Rosa and as supervising authority of Aplasca.
“These were not passive acts. They were deliberate measures that shielded Dela Rosa from law enforcement officers who were serving the warrant and amounts to harboring, concealing, or facilitating escape,” the complaint read.
Meanwhile, the group pointed to Padilla’s admission that he let Dela Rosa board his vehicle to leave the Senate on May 13. Security camera footage showed the two leaving Senate premises, hours after the standoff.
Padilla previously said he had no idea on the whereabouts of the fugitive lawmaker.
The senator is facing a separate obstruction of justice complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippines National Police with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
On the part of Aplasca, complainants said “he directed, authorized, or tolerated security measures that obstructed NBI access, caused confusion, and enabled Dela Rosa to leave the Senate premises.”
“Taken together, the protective custody, lockdown, respondent Padilla’s admitted transport of Dela Rosa away from the Senate, the gunfire, escape, and later refusal to accept Ombudsman processes are sufficient to show probable cause that respondents knowingly and willfully obstructed, impeded, frustrated, or delayed Dela Rosa’s apprehension and the investigation of the circumstances surrounding his escape,” the complaint read.
Authorities have launched a nationwide manhunt for Dela Rosa, who was ordered arrested by the DOJ.
Kiko Aquino Dee, complainant and convenor of Tindig Pilipinas, said the legal move is a necessary step to hold officials accountable, noting that people are losing confidence in the chamber.
“Continuation lang ito sa maraming boses mula sa taumbayan, civil society, na nababahala, nalilito, nalulungkot at nagagalit dahil sa nagiging kalagayan ng ating senado ngayon na talagang never before seen yung isang senado na talagang ganito kagulo, ka-unpredictable,” he told reporters.
[Translation: This is a continuation of the many voices from the people and from civil society who are concerned, confused, saddened, and angered by the current state of our Senate. It is truly something we’ve never seen before—a Senate that has become this chaotic and unpredictable.]
Civil society groups and the minority bloc have called on Cayetano to step down after the chaos hounding the Senate, just three weeks into his leadership.
