Robin Padilla denies sneaking Bato Dela Rosa out of Senate: ‘Wala namang humarang sa amin’
Sen. Robin Padilla shut down claims that he helped Sen. Bato Dela Rosa with his Senate escape hours after the shooting incident that took place in the building on May 13.
In an interview on Net25 on Thursday, May 21, and a press release shared by his office the following day, May 22, Padilla stressed that they left the premises together amid a heavy presence of police and security personnel. He also emphasized that there was no attempt to evade authorities amid Dela Rosa's ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity.
“Paano kami tatakas? Ang daming pulis sa loob at labas ng Senado. May CCTV pa. Wala namang humarang sa amin,” he said.
According to Padilla, he stayed at the building with Dela Rosa for three days following the tension that began when the latter returned to the Senate after a months-long absence. He added that it was later fuelled by the leadership change that replaced Sen. Tito Sotto with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, and the arrival of the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate.
"Ramdam mo na iba na ang ambience. May mga armadong kalalakihan na sa labas. May mga rally, may mga usapang lalala ang sitwasyon," he said.
The shooting incident on May 13 escalated things further, per Padilla. "May mga senador na natakot talaga. Madilim, walang ilaw, tense ang sitwasyon. May mga umiiyak na. Kaya bumaba ako para tingnan kung ayos lang ang lahat.”
He recalled “clearly seeing” Dela Rosa's concern—not for his own safety, he claimed, but for the safety of the senators, the media, and others.
"Nakita ko kay Sen. Bato na iniisip niya kung paano madi-diffuse ang sitwasyon. Pulis kasi ang puso niyan," he said.
Padilla confirmed that Dela Rosa spoke with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and PNP Chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. when they arrived at the Senate. He said Remulla assured Dela Rosa he wasn’t there to arrest him but to secure the area.
"Magaan ang usapan, walang tensiyon," Padilla added.
Padilla recalled telling Dela Rosa to go home early morning of May 14 as his wife was already looking for him.
"Ang sabi ni Sen. Bato, 'Sasabay na 'ko.' Alangan naming tanggihan ko yun? Walang sasakyan si Sen. Bato dahil inihatid lang siya sa Senado ng sasakyan ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano,” he said.
He said he dropped Dela Rosa off in Makati. From there, Dela Rosa was picked up by his own car.
Padilla highlighted that neither the NBI nor the PNP presented any warrant of arrest issued by a local court against Dela Rosa, giving them no reason to believe they were "escaping” the Senate.
"Wala namang warrant. Ayon mismo sa Senate President, wala ring local warrant. Kaya very relaxed kami," he said.
Dela Rosa ICC warrant
The ICC confirmed its arrest warrant against Dela Rosa on May 11. On the same day, Dela Rosa was placed under Senate protective custody.
On May 13, Dela Rosa shared he received information he would be arrested after the day's session. A shooting incident took place that evening, though the motive is still under investigation.
Dela Rosa left the Senate premises the following day in Padilla's vehicle, as confirmed by the PNP on May 19. He has since remained at large, and Padilla has been tagged as a person of interest in Dela Rosa's whereabouts.
Dela Rosa served as the PNP chief during former president Rodrigo Duterte's term, allegedly helping him carry out the so-called drug war, for which Duterte is awaiting trial at The Hague. Duterte is charged with three counts of murder as crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa has been identified as one of Duterte's co-perpetrators and is now on the ICC wanted list.