Senator Padilla fails to respond to Ombudsman in obstruction complaint

Senator Robin Padilla has yet to respond to a summons issued by the Office of the Ombudsman over an obstruction of justice complaint linked to Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Friday.

Remulla said Padilla failed to submit any pleading or response before the deadline set by the Ombudsman.

“Well, he has not filed anything. He has not responded. He has not said anything about the case, the summons given to him,” Remulla said in a press briefing.

“The deadline has passed. I don’t know. If he chooses to ignore the Ombudsman, then so be it,” he added.

The complaint was filed by Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Francis Aquino Dee together with several organizations, including Partido Manggagawa, Baigani Feminist Collective, Magdalo Party, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, and Youth Resist.

In June, the Ombudsman directed Padilla, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca to submit their answers to the complaint.

Remulla said Cayetano filed his counter-affidavit within the prescribed period, while Aplasca sought additional time to respond, which the Ombudsman granted.

“Si Mr. Aplasca asked for an extension so we granted him an extension,” he said.

The complaint stems from events on May 11, when agents of the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to serve an ICC arrest warrant to Dela Rosa inside the Senate complex. The incident led to a pursuit within the building before the senator was placed under the Senate's protective custody after Cayetano assumed the Senate presidency.

Two days later, gunshots were fired during a lockdown of the Senate premises after Aplasca discharged several warning shots at the building's glass windows, an incident that caused panic among those inside. Cayetano later described the situation as the Senate being "under attack."

On May 14, Dela Rosa left the Senate complex after riding with Padilla, an incident that became the basis for the obstruction of justice complaint.