Obstruction complaint vs Robin Padilla still under probe – DOJ

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has yet to issue a resolution on the obstruction of justice complaint filed against Sen. Robin Padilla over his alleged role in the escape of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from the Senate, the agency’s spokesperson, lawyer Polo Martinez, said Friday.

In a Viber message to reporters on Friday, Martinez said the case is “still currently undergoing preliminary investigation.”

His statement came after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag said in an ambush interview earlier Friday that DOJ may have already a resolution on Padilla’s case.

Matibag said he believed the DOJ had completed its investigation because the NBI had long submitted documents relevant to the complaint.

Aside from the documents transmitted by the NBI, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) had recently refiled the “obstruction of justice” complaint against Padilla after the DOJ initially returned it “for further investigation” and the need for additional evidence.

The complaint stemmed from Padilla’s alleged assistance to dela Rosa when the latter escaped the Senate building in the early hours of May 14 following the issuance of the arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Padilla recently admitted that dela Rosa asked for a ride while he was leaving the Senate premises at the time. He argued that there was nothing wrong with it, arguing that dela Rosa was “not a fugitive” because there was no locally issued arrest warrant against him.

Authorities are currently locating dela Rosa, who is wanted under an ICC warrant over his alleged involvement in the bloody war against illegal drugs during the administration of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte./dp