MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified Sen. Robin Padilla as a “person of interest” in efforts to determine the whereabouts of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa after the latter mysteriously slipped out of the Senate complex amid a tense lockdown triggered by gunfire and fears of an arrest linked to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
NBI director Melvin Matibag said Padilla was among the last people seen with Dela Rosa before the former Philippine National Police chief disappeared from the Senate premises early Thursday morning.
“Automatic po ‘yan pero sabi ko nga, kung meron pong unang-unang dapat tanungin, na-identify naman na si Sen. Robin Padilla ‘yung kasama,” Matibag said in an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita on Friday.
“Siya po ‘yung pinaka-person of interest to shed light sa whereabouts po ni Senator Bato,” he added.
Authorities are investigating Dela Rosa’s sudden departure from the Senate while tensions remained high over reports that authorities were preparing to serve a possible ICC-related arrest warrant tied to the Duterte administration’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
Matibag said the NBI continues to coordinate with the Department of Justice regarding the matter.
“In the proper time gagawin po natin ‘yan. Malinaw naman po ‘yung sinasabi namin lagi na we are following instructions from the higher-ups, sa DOJ po ‘yung pinaka-main coordination dito so doon po tayo,” he said.
The NBI chief also named Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca as individuals who could provide information about Dela Rosa’s whereabouts.
Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the gunfire incident inside the Senate complex Wednesday night was deliberately staged to create confusion and allow Dela Rosa to escape unnoticed.
“After noong commotion diyan sa Senate, ‘yung putukan, ang kasunod, nawala na po siya. Kung maalala ninyo po, ‘yan na nga ‘yung binabanggit ko na sentimyento ng aming mga ahente na maaaring ang naging dahilan noong paputukan na ‘yan ay para ma-divert at makaalis si Senator Bato,” Matibag said.
He added that dela Rosa’s wife allegedly confirmed that the senator took advantage of the confusion caused by the shooting to leave the Senate premises.
Gunshots erupted inside the Senate compound Wednesday evening while the chamber was under lockdown and Dela Rosa was reportedly under protective custody.
Hours later, the senator could no longer be found inside the Senate complex./PN
