Ombudsman: Robin Padilla ignored obstruction complaint over Bato's escape
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robin Padilla has failed to submit a counter-affidavit on an obstruction of justice complaint tied to Sen. Bato dela Rosa's escape from the Senate, the Office of the Ombudsman said Friday, July 17.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Padilla did not respond to the office's order, while Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano had already submitted his counter-affidavit. Former Senate sergeant-at-arms Mao Aplasca was granted a 10-day extension.
"Surprisingly, one person has chosen to ignore the Ombudsman's order, that's Senator Robin Padilla," Remulla said at a press briefing. "Maybe he will just adopt the arguments of the persons who are charged with him, that's the best he can do."
The Ombudsman on June 24 ordered Cayetano, Aplasca and Padilla to comment on an obstruction of justice complaint filed by civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas.
Dela Rosa escape. The complaint stemmed from their alleged involvement in Dela Rosa's early-morning departure from the Senate in May after government agents tried to serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration's drug war, remains in hiding.
The complainants accused Cayetano, who was Senate president at the time, of protecting dela Rosa from law enforcement by placing him under Senate protective custody.
Aplasca was accused of blocking the National Bureau of Investigation from entering the Senate premises.
Padilla, meanwhile, was accused of helping facilitate dela Rosa's escape after he admitted giving the senator a ride and dropping him off in Makati City.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group described dela Rosa's transport as "a highly coordinated, pre-planned logistical maneuver."
Padilla has denied the allegations and maintained that his exit from the Senate with dela Rosa was lawful.
Case to move without Padilla comment
Remulla said the Ombudsman had given the respondents a chance to deny the allegations or explain their side.
But since Padilla did not submit a counter-affidavit, the case will be resolved without his comment, he said.
"The resolution will be done without his counter-affidavit. Choice n'ya 'yan eh," Remulla said. ("The resolution will be done without his counter-affidavit. That's his choice.")
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