MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed receiving an obstruction of justice complaint against Sen. Robinhood Padilla, marking a new development in the controversy surrounding the alleged efforts to help Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa evade authorities seeking to serve an arrest warrant linked to an International Criminal Court (ICC) case.
The complaint, filed by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), accuses Padilla of allegedly assisting Dela Rosa in avoiding arrest after the latter emerged from hiding and later left the Senate premises amid heightened law enforcement monitoring.
Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said the complaint was formally submitted to the DOJ late Thursday afternoon.
“They came a little before 5 p.m. At the time we spoke (4 p.m.), they have not filed it yet,” Fadullon said in a statement.
The case stems from allegations that Padilla helped Dela Rosa leave the Senate complex while authorities were attempting to enforce an arrest warrant reportedly issued by the ICC.
DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said the department would subject the complaint to the standard legal review process before deciding on the next course of action.
“As with any complaint filed before the Department, the same will be evaluated in accordance with established procedures and applicable rules,” Martinez said.
He said a preliminary investigation would be conducted if the evidence submitted establishes sufficient basis.
“If the evidence warrants, the matter will be docketed for the conduct of a thorough preliminary investigation to determine whether prima facie evidence exists to charge the respondents in court,” Martinez said.
The complaint traces its roots to events that unfolded on May 11 when Dela Rosa, who had reportedly remained out of public view since late 2025, unexpectedly appeared at the Senate during the leadership vote that resulted in the election of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president.
At the time, Dela Rosa was reportedly seeking protection from an ICC arrest warrant tied to allegations arising from the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Following his appearance, senators allied with Dela Rosa placed him under Senate protective custody.
The situation intensified two days later after an incident involving personnel from the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who were monitoring activities near the Senate complex.
Hours after the incident, Dela Rosa was seen leaving the Senate building with Padilla.
The senator later admitted that Dela Rosa rode in his vehicle as they departed the Senate.
According to the CIDG, Padilla’s actions allegedly contributed to Dela Rosa’s ability to avoid arrest, prompting the filing of the obstruction of justice complaint.
The DOJ has yet to determine whether the evidence presented is sufficient to support the filing of criminal charges in court./PN
