DOJ to Jimmy Bondoc: Tell us where Bato dela Rosa is
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) urged singer-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc to share the whereabouts of fugitive lawmaker Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa amid an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, May 26, Justice Secretary Frederick Vida said that he has directed the issuance of a letter request asking Bondoc, who is Dela Rosa’s legal counsel, to provide the department with any information in his possession or available to him regarding the whereabouts or information leading to the location of Dela Rosa.
“This is an opportunity for Attorney Bondoc to cooperate with legal processes and assist law enforcement authorities in the proper service of the ICC warrant,” Vida said.
Vida reminded that attorney-client privilege does not excuse a lawyer from cooperating with the law or committing crimes like misleading authorities and harboring offenders.
When asked why Sen. Robin Padilla was not being questioned despite admitting to using the vehicle and warning Dela Rosa, Vida explained that Padilla had already confessed to multiple actions on record.
“Ang dami niya na hong inamin na ginawa niya,” Vida said.
(He has already admitted to so many things that he did.)
“Our panel of prosecutors will study everything. 'Will study everything that is based on these admissions, based on these factual menu or factual circumstances, can we lead to a conclusion that he or a person is probably guilty of a particular crime,” he added.
The Justice chief said that the DOJ will be open whenever Padilla reaches out for information about Dela Rosa’s whereabouts.
“We are also open to anyone who will bring in or put forward facts and information that will help us fulfill our mandate,” Vida said.
“Tandaan niyo ang mandato ng Department of Justice, ipakulong ‘yong dapat ipakulong at i-exonerate ‘yong wala namang kasalanan,” he added.
(Remember the mandate of the Department of Justice: jail those who should be jailed and exonerate those who are innocent.)
In response, Bondoc said that he will comply with the DOJ’s request upon receipt of the letter.
He also emphasized that he and lawyer Israelito Torreon, who is another counsel of Dela Rosa, have no information about the whereabouts of the fugitive lawmaker.
“All we can assure the government is based on surrounding circumstances, there is absolutely no evidence to assume that Senator Bato dela Rosa is armed and dangerous,” Bondoc said in a statement.
“This is not supported by any credible evidence, nor by my personal knowledge of the senator's good character. Regardless of media portrayal, he was and will always be an officer and a gentleman,” he added.
Dela Rosa escaped the Senate premises on May 14, following the gun shooting incident on May 13.
He escaped with Padilla on the early morning of May 14. Padilla, along with Senate President Allan Peter Cayetano, who gave Dela Rosa Senate protective custody, repeatedly insisted that helping Dela Rosa leave was not unlawful, as there is no valid Philippine court-issued warrant of arrest.
The Supreme Court on May 21 also denied Dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order over the government’s cooperation with the ICC. This prompted the DOJ to order law enforcement agencies to effect the arrest of Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa is being accused of being liable for crimes against humanity of murder over the alleged killings of at least 32 people, committed between July 2016 and April 2018, under the administration of then-president Rodrigo Duterte.
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