Padilla attends preliminary investigation on obstruction of justice case

Sen. Robin Padilla accompanies fellow senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as he files his certificate of candidacy for the 2025 midterm elections in Manila on October 3, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Sen. Robin Padilla on Friday faced a panel of prosecutors at the Department of Justice for the preliminary investigation of the obstruction of justice complaint against him. 

The complaint lodged by the Philippine National Police alleged that Padilla supposedly helped Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa evade the arrest order issued by the International Criminal Court.  

Padilla thanked his supporters who gathered outside the DOJ.

“Una po maraming salamat po sa mga kapatid na Muslim  at Kristiyano na nagpunta rito para magbigay ng suporta sa atin kahit na napakasikip rito,” Padilla said. 

After the proceedings, Padilla refused to talk about his case.

“Mahirap po akong magbigay ng opinyon, ng kahit anong pahayag, basta ang masasabi ko lang po kung ano po ang sinasabi ng batas, yan po ay susundin namin. Ako po ay wala sa lugar ngayon para magsalita ng kahit ano,” he said.

Lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, who is representing Padilla’s co-respondent, said that all respondents have not yet submitted their counter-affidavits.

“Hindi pa po kami nagsa-submit ng counter-affidavit dahil mga hearing pa lang po parang for preliminary matters, may mga nililinaw pa po dahil may mga konti pang submissions na kulang po from the other side,” Bondoc said.

He appeared in the Senate in May to help elect Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, and ran across the building to evade officials who were serving his warrant from the ICC.

After a shooting incident at the Senate, Dela Rosa was seen boarding Padilla’s tinted vehicle to leave the premises in the wee hours of May 14.